WordPress has come a long way in the last couple of years.  One of the improvements I like best is the ease with which you can now add images to a blog post.  Now that it is so easy, there is almost no excuse to not add an image for every post… provided you have an appropriate one available!  Needless to say, most of my business posts aren’t going to have pretty pictures!

On the other hand, I do have posts where images would be appropriate, such as when I write about my vintage cookbooks.  It’s now very easy to add an image of the cookbook cover.  What would be even nicer, would be to be able to pretty up those images.  However, there hasn’t been an easy way to do that, until now…

Thomas is one of my favorite online friends. Part of it is the fact the he has a graphic design degree AND a programming degree… which make for an unlikely, but powerful combination.

His most recent project is a handy dandy little program the makes it VERY easy to dress up web graphics.

Called Tiger Web Graphics, this program allows you to import a web ready image and — in just a few mouse clicks — give it rounded corners, or make it look like a film strip, or a polaroid, or give it the serrated edge of a postage stamp.

It will also manipulate the image to give it perspective, add a reflection, or give it a drop shadow…

I use CorelDraw and CorelPhotoPaint for most of my work, simply because I need the powerful options that these programs offer, but, truth be told, I have only taken the time to learn what I need to do for the technical drawing and other applications I need.  I know that they will do many other wonderful things… but I simply can’t justify the time needed to learn how to do those things.

But now I don’t need to learn to do a lot of them!  Thomas has done the work for me!

One of the other reasons I like Thomas so much is because he understands the importance of providing good reference materials.  Tiger Web Graphics comes with an excellent 45 page PDF help file, explaining what you need to know to get started immediately.

Here is a link to check out the sales page.  Amazingly enough, this wonderful program is only $14.95!

Tiger Web Graphics

Let me be clear… this software is NOT designed to be photo editing software.  You need to start with an image that is already the proper size and has been prepared for the Web.  However, if you have that, you can add these wonderful effects in seconds.

If you look below, I took screenshots showing the three steps needed to access the help file. I played a little bit and added a different effect to each of the three images.

Tiger Web Graphics is a very powerful tool at a very small price!  I think you owe it to yourself to check out.

Thomas was kind enough to offer a 100% affiliate program for this software.  That means if you use my affiliate link, I get the money! This means that the PayPal payment is made directly to me, so don’t be confused when you see my name on the payment screen!

My affiliate link

I do realize that there are people online who prefer not to use affiliate links, but this program is so wonderful I don’t want to leave them out of the loop, so here is a a non-affiliate link.

Non-affiliate link

Which ever link you use, I think you will find this a very handy program.

Here are the images showing how to access the Help File:

Step 1 - Open the program and click on the Graphic Icon

Step 2 - Double click on the Miscellaneous Tab

Step 3 - Doubleclick on the Help Icon and the Help Manual PDF will open

Let me take a moment to add that Tiger Web Graphics would work great for Business Bloggers, (it’s not just for hobby bloggers)  and the images can actually be used on any web site. In fact, I plan to use them to add interest to the images in my next Survival Guide!

Sharing the Road to Success!

Tink

What’s new this week at SurviveAndConquerCoaching.com:

http://surviveandconquercoaching.com

Check out the December Special Offers page. I am offering a Monthly Special for December 2008. It is Disaster-proof your Online Business and is heavily discounted. Start the New Year right, by taking charge and protecting your Online Business!

In addition to the Monthly Special, I am offering a different Special each week. This week it is  Survival Guide to Email Marketing the RIGHT Way! I consider this one of the most important issues facing offline Businesses, as well as one of the least understood. NOTE: Do NOT buy this if you are taking the class at TNNA in January!

This week’s Cheat Sheet is a new CORE Cheat Sheet:*What are Local Search and Local SEO? – PART 1*

If you haven’t already done so, check out the latest Short Report: Are You Maximizing Your Web Shop’s Search Options? While its focus is on online Shops, if you have a wholesale site or showcase site, this WILL apply to your site!

And, last but not least… Tactic # 10 has been added to the series on List Building called List Building Tactics and Tactic #9 has been removed from the BASIC Level Membership. There are 24 Tactics in this series.

If you are using WordPress for ANY type of site, the new Survival Course – Create an Effective Web Site YOU can Operate Yourself (even if you know NOTHING about the Internet) is a worthwhile read. It is available in Web Page format as part of Academy – Basic or as a PDF download.

All of these great resources can be found at:

http://surviveandconquercoaching.com

Sharing the Road to Success

Tink

The focus of my membership site, SurviveAndConquerCoaching, is to help offline businesses move online. This can be frightening and overwhelming… just one more problem to address in a busy work day. My goal is to provide the resources to minimize the stress, avoid the mistakes, and achieve an easy transition.

I wanted to share a recent email I got from a SurviveAndConquerCoaching member:

Subject: just took lesson 1 for Strategies for Online Retail Success!

I signed up for your basic level membership when you first talked about this on the quiltdesigners list… then it was ‘later’, ‘I dont have time right now’, etc.  I really wish I had MADE the time from the beginning.

You have really opened my eyes, just in the first lesson!  I just wanted to thank you for starting this up!  As soon as I have the funds available I’ll be upgrading.

Thanks Tink!!

Angela R McIntyre

Laughing Cat Designs Etc.!

**************************

NOW! On to what’s new this week at SurviveAndConquerCoaching.com:

Tactic # 7 has been added to the series on List Building called List Building Tactics and Tactic # 6 has been removed from the BASIC Level Membership. There are 24 Tactics in this series.

This week’s Cheat Sheet is *Why Blog?* It will be available to BASIC members for just a week.

A NEW Video Tutorial has been added to the BASIC-Video Vault. It explains *How to Create a PDF file Using Free Software*. It will be available to BASIC Level members for about a  week.

Don’t forget to download the October 2008 WordPress Plugin Report, while it is available.

If you haven’t downloaded the newest Short Report – The Offline Business Owner’s Guide to Making the MOST of Local Portals & Directories! — grab it now! It is 11 pages with 10 question you should be asking about your Portal and Directory opportunities. There are more and more of these coming online, and they represent excellent marketing opportunities… IF you know the right questions to ask.

Just a reminder, if you are using WordPress for ANY type of site, the new Survival Course – Create an Effective Web Site YOU can Operate Yourself (even if you know NOTHING about the Internet) is a worthwhile read. It is available in Web Page format as part of Academy – Basic or as a PDF download.

http://surviveandconquercoaching.com

Sharing the Road to Success

Tink

After months of work, my new membership site, SurviveAndConquerCoaching.com is open and accepting members!

I have a specific Premier Level, just for the Needlework and Quilting industry, Y&T-PREMIER.

The BASIC Level is for everybody, no matter what offline industry they are in.

I am adding new information and resources weekly. The biggest challenge for me has been organizing all of the topics I will be covering. I have reams of paper (yes, I know I could do it digitally, but I visualize better on paper — with color coded ink!LOL) with the next 12 months laid out. As long as Guido doesn’t eat them, all will be well!

Until the end of August, Y&T-PREMIER and the regular PREMIER Level have a special introductory price.

To compare memberships, check out the Compare Membership page.

Sharing the Road to Success!

Tink

Among the most valuable, yet overlooked tools a web site owner can have are Web Site Statistics.

When talking with my clients, I find that many of the less technical minded site owners don't even know how to access their stats, let alone interpret them.

The truth of the matter is that web site stats can help a savvy business owner overcome one of the most daunting differences between Offline and Online business — getting to know your customer!

The other unpalatable truth it that YOU, the business owner, are the person best placed to interpret those stats!

Believe me when I say that I can relate to the eye rolling numbness that can overtake you when trying to make sense of all of those numbers, charts, and graphs — I am a designer by training — I like and understand pretty pictures, but numbers are my downfall!

The good news is that as Google and the other Search Engine become more and more focused on giving a web surfer a positive and useful internet experience, the tools that they are creating to do this are providing more and more interesting and useful data for those of us who are numerically challenged.

Long tail and organic search are our friends, and being an intuitive thinker is an advantage when following those stats.

The only way to learn to interpret your web site stats is to look at them regularly… and often. I liken it to watching a slow train wreck! LOL

Each time you look, the less fuzzy the overall picture will be! One of my long term goals for 2008 has been to watch my site stats carefully and regularly, and what I am observing has been a real eye opener.

I won't be teaching my Search, Search Engines and Web Site Statistics in June at TNNA, but the ebook covers most of the class material — you just don't have me at the front of the room nattering on! *VeryBigGrin*.

To encourage y'all to start following your site stats, I have given a special discount on the ebook.

Go here: http://surviveandconqueronline.com/Special.htm and use the coupon: AprilShowers

Feel free to pass the link and coupon along to others in the industries. I'll probably leave this offer up 'til the end of the month.

Sharing the Road to Success!

Tink