Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Review of free082sms.co.za

Greeting readers and bloggers.

I have been asked to do a review of the site free082sms

This is a site which enables you to send free sms's from your pc to any mobile phone in SA.
It covers Vodacom, MTN and CellC.

When you visit the site it is pretty easy to understand.

Everything is centered in the middle of the screen.
You select your cellphone provider, I used Vodacom and log in with your username and password that you use
on your provider site.

You then type your message, you get 431 characters to tell your story.

You then type in the Vodacom cellphone number.

In testing the sms came through no problem with no issues.

You can also contact them on twitter on @Free082SMS

A nifty site with some great options if you find yourself short of airtime and need to contact somebody in a hurry.

You can send 20 free sms's with the Vodacom option every day.

MTN allows you 5 free sms's every day.

CellC allows you 5 free sms's every day.

You can also use your email address to send 3 emails to a Vodacom Sms every day.

So when your budget is tight this is the site to use to send sms's  Free082Sms


Fly high, Fly Free



Fred Felton
Motivational Speaker & IT Consultant & Biz Analyst
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred Felton for a talk or seminar.

new Twitter Talks now available.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

The Magic of Theatre

Greetings readers and bloggers.

Welcome to another entry in my blog.

Today I am talking about a new Theatre Company that is starting up in the Durban area.
Yesterday I was watching a wonderful show at St Clements Coffee Shop and was once again
transported into the magical world of theatre and how especially with audience participation it can take
you to wonderful places using your imagination.

After the show we were introduced to a new Theatre Company that is starting in the Durban area.
Now it is always wonderful to see a new Theatre company open.  Someone who is willing to take a
chance and see where it leads.

We were joined by producer / director Maurice Podbrey who will launch this new company with
Bheki Mkhwana.  The company is called Just In Time Productions.

They are starting with 3 shows at the Loft Playhouse Theatre from 5 April to 24 April 2011.

The 3 plays for the launch are Sitting Around the Fire (Tues 5 - Sat 9 April)

A Plague Of Heroes (Tues 12 - Sat 16 April)

and Thembalethu - Tshepang.    (Tues 19 - Sat 23 April)

Bookings are at Computicket.

I wish this theatre company the best and it is always marvellous to watch something new start up.
I hope they go from strength to strength.

You too can go from strength to strength.   So if you are thinking of starting that business now is the time
just like this theatre company.

Because if they can do it so can you.

Fly high, Fly Free




Fred Felton
MC, Motivational Speaker & Biz Analyst & IT Consultant
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred Felton for a talk or seminar.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

10 Websites Worth Checking Out

Good day bloggers and readers.

Today I thought I would introduce you to 10 Websites that are worth checking out.
I have included links to them so you can click on the link from my blog.

Okay, let's get started.

1.  Crowdbooster

A wonderful site if you use social networking sites like Twitter.  It gives you fantastic stats on your
tweets and tells you when it is best to send them out.  It even sends you emails on what is working and what is not with your tweets.  Fantastic.

2.  Mediafire

A superb site for file hosting or uploading files onto the internet.   Wonderful if you can't send huge files as email attachements.  You just upload to this site and send the link in a email.  You can also share the link with social network sites.   Also a wonderful site if you want to back up important documents.  They are saved forever in your account on the site.  No more backing up every day or week or month.

3.  Garfield

Need a laugh.  It's always good to read Garfield's comic strip.  Loads of fun stuff on here and even
e-cards to send to friends and family.   a great site.

4.  Polldaddy

A good site if you need a poll or need to take a survey.  The wonderful part about it is it integrates
with your wordpress site if you are running a blog.  

5.  Fiverr

An interesting site.  People offering work and offering to do work for $5.   Lots of different work as well.
Integrates with Facebook as well.

6.  Twittervision

A wondeful site.  Someday this might replace television.  If you have nothing to do take a look at this site.  It shows you all the tweets from around the world and integrates the world map first.  Fantastic site.  It's amazing what different people from around the world tweet about and tweetpic about.

7.  Author Central From Amazon

A excellent site brought to you by Amazon.  This site is perfect for author's who have books for sale on amazon.  It helps with sales, stats and keeping in touch with fans.  A wonderful site to promote your work and upload your bio and useful info for readers.  You can also tell your fans where next you will be for book launces, events, readings etc.   A great service from Amazon.  Every writer should integrate this into their site.

8.  A word a day

A good site for you to increase your vocabulary.  Sign up for the email and you get a new word everyday and it also shows you where the word originated and interesting facts on it.  Marvellous.

9.  Poets Pages

An interesting site if you like publishing your own poetry and networking with some other poets from around the world.   Sign up and upload your poems.

10.  Tumblr

I think this site might be the next big thing.  Part blog, part messaging site, part writing site, part photo site.
A very simple site and so easy to use.  Lots of people use it as a blog, some for messages, some to show their artworks.  So what are you waiting for.  Jump right in.

Well that's 10 websites that should keep you busy.  Hope you enjoy them.

Fly high, Fly free



Fred Felton
Motivational Speaker & IT Consultant & Biz Analyst
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred for a talk or seminar.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

10 Writing Tips


So you want to do some writing or write that book.  Here are 10 tips designed to get you writing.

1.  Start it.
So you wanted to write that book about that idea you had in your head.  Well sit down and write it.
It's going to stay in your head till you sit down and write it.   No sense thinking and ruminating and asking others for their opinions.  Write it.

2.  Read a lot, Write a lot -  Stephen King.
Yes the master of writing gave this advice.  You have to read a great deal of books and write a lot.
Sit down and write everyday as much as you can.

3.  Set up a schedule.
Every morning try this schedule.   Wake up and do some sort of exercise like going to gym or jogging.  Have your breakfast and then write from 9am - 4pm.   With a break in between for lunch.   Keep writing till you have completed that book or poem or short story.

4.  Enter competitions.
This is a wonderful way to get noticed and get a publishing deal.  Keep your eyes open for short story competitions or competitions for novels.   These are wonderful because they have  deadlines and they force you to write towards a deadline.  

5.  Get opinions.
Once you have finished your first draft show it to your family and friends and a editor.  Get as much opinion as you can and if necessary do some changes to make it better.

6.  Get it out there.
When you have finished it send it off to as many publishers as you can.   Sometimes you might have to send it off to 100 publishers just to get your foot in the door.  Keep at it.  Persistence pays off.

7.  The self-publishing option.
You might also consider publishing it yourself and finding a printer to print it for you.   Arrange with a bookshop to have your launch there.   Advertise it in the papers, invite the press and your friends and people who might be interested in the book.   Do the same sort of launch around the country and even internationally.

8.  E-books
Another option is to publish it as an e-book.   Sites like amazon.com let you convert your book easily to be read on the kindle device.    Sites like tinypay.me are wonderful in that you can set up your own little bookshop and sell your books online 24/7.

9.  Use social networking to market it.
In this day and age of twitter, facebook, linkedin, myspace and other social networking sites you can use these to market your books and network with publishers, writers and your fans.   Market your book daily on these sites, offer writing tips and keep marketing your books.

10.  Persistence pays off.
Keep at it.   You can only write what you know.  So write about your experiences in life.   Everyone has a wonderful story in them.   Observe people, you learn a lot.    Read the great writers and keep writing.

Wishing you all the best.    

Hope to see your book on the bestseller list soon :)

Fly high, Fly Free



Fred Felton
Motivational Speaker & Author & IT Consultant & Biz Analyst
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred Felton for a talk or seminar countrywide.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Why you should use Twitter.

Good day readers and bloggers.

Welcome to another entry in my world.

Today I am looking at Twitter that wonderful social networking tool and why you should use it.
Twitter has exploded onto the internet and gains momentum like a snowball as it rolls along getting bigger
and bigger.  Part messaging system, part news source, part anything.  It manages to adapt and change
as life needs it.

If you are active on twitter and constantly view your timeline you can learn some amazing things.
A photographer based in the Cape might be looking for somebody to take over a job for him
that he cannot do.   If you are a photographer and you see this tweet you can contact him
and within seconds get a new client.   How cool is that!

There are millions of business opportunities out there waiting for you in Twitterland.
Lets look at the basics first.  When you sign up you start with a username.
Now think it through before you type in your username.
You don't want a username that is difficult or full of numbers.
Either choose your name or the name of your brand or company.
Select a good picture of you as well.

In your profile write what you do and what you like doing.
Have a link to your website and your business address.
Select some people or companies to follow and look for some of your friends on twitter as well.
Look for contacts that are relevant to your business as well and add them.

In Twitter you have 140 characters to say something.
This is why Twitter has been described as a micro-blog.
It is also a mini-website for you.
So once you are live you have a mini-website for you or your company.

Make sure your tweets are interesting, informative and sometimes even funny.
Learn how to use hashtags.   Remember your tweets represent you or your brand.

Enjoy it and have fun with it.   The more people you add to your timeline the more
fun it becomes.

There's the link so jump right in

Twitter


Fly high, Fly free



Fred Felton
Motivational Speaker, Biz Analyst, IT Consultant
email: falconscove@gmail.com
twitter: @fredfelton

email to book Fred for a motivational talk or Twitter talk.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

What is it that drives you?

Good day bloggers and readers.

Welcome to another entry in my blog.

What is it that drives you?    Why do you get up every morning and do what you do?
Are you one of the lucky few that gets up every day and loves what they do?

Or are you one of the many who just does a job just so that you can cover the rent and expenses.
Do you sit in your office wondering what you are doing on this planet?
Are you just counting the hours till home town?

Do you remember way back to when you were in school and the teacher asked you what you
wanted  to be when you grew up?   Remember how your eyes lit up and you thought of being
a movie star or doctor or architect or whatever it is your dream was.

Perhaps it's time to sit down with yourself and see where you are in life.
Are you happy doing what you are doing for a career?

Perhaps it's time to follow your life calling and go after that dream.
Set some goals for this year, 5 years and 10 years and set about chasing your dream.

Fantastic things can happen when you do what you love doing.


Fly high, Fly Free



Fred Felton
Motivational Speaker - Biz Analyst - IT Consultant
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred Felton for a talk or seminar on motivation, twitter or marketing online.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

The Holiday Blog: A voyage on the sea

Greetings readers and bloggers.

Welcome to another entry.   Today I give you a travel blog fresh from the sea.
Last week I was away for a holiday on the MSC Sinfonia.   Wow what a cruise ship.
You can see her from far away as you approach the harbour.    We arrived early and waited in a long queue
to board and went through the various sections till we boarded the ship.

It takes you days to find your bearings on her she is so huge.  It's about 1km from one side of the ship
to the other.   You wait on the deck and watch the harbour master get hoisted up onto a helicopter after he guides the ship out of the harbour.   After that it's pretty quick and you are out of Durban and headed off to
Mozambique.   It's quite amazing how the landscape changes as you go up the North Coast.

The most important thing for people is do you get signal for your cellphone.  It comes and goes and eventually goes until you come back to SA waters and Durban.

Each day you are fed huge amounts of meals from breakfast to lunch to tea time to supper time.  Huge amounts of foods so delicious to eat.  A moment on your lips a lifetime on your hips.

You then have to get your sea legs and it's amazing to watch sober people walk like drunk people.  Quite funny to look at and laugh at until you find yourself doing it.

The cruise ship puts on many shows and interesting lectures.  There is so much to do on the ship you never find yourself bored.   From dancing to shows to comedy shows to fun and games.

When you reach Maputo it is quite an amazing experience.  A smaller version of Durban I would guess slowly rebuilding from war and poverty.   The best place to buy cashew nuts at ridiculous prices.

Next is a small island, The Portuguese Island.  You arrive on it on a zodiac boat and it's almost like you have landed on the island in Survivor.  A wonderful place with so much to do from beach walks to boat rides to nearby islands.  The highlight was a beach barbeque.  

After that the boat stays there for a day and then slowly heads back to Durban and during that time they have the party of the week, midnight feast, gala show and so much more.  

If I were you I would explore the boat and all it's many wonderful places.  

The staff are very professional and it is almost with a sad heart that you leave the ship.

Fun times and loads of memories.




A useful link if you feel the need to book a trip

Starlight Cruises

Fly high, Fly Free



Fred Felton
Mr Motivator
Motivational Speaker - Business Analyst - IT Consultant
email: falconscove@gmail.com

email to book Fred Felton for a talk or seminar.

new seminars and talks available on Twitter 101, Facebook 101, Email 101