How to Write a Letter of Reference

Have you ever been asked to write a letter of reference for a co-worker, employee or former employee? Generally, a letter of reference is used to help obtain employment, apply for higher education, or as a character reference for those seeking a government position. This is an important request, as a well-written letter can be the reason the candidate receives the offer he or she is hoping for.

In all likelihood, you won`t be asked to write a letter of reference for someone you don`t know or get along with very well. But, if you have any doubts about writing a recommendation for this person, you should decline the offer and suggest they ask another person. Only write a letter for someone whom you would truly recommend.

A letter of reference doesn`t need to be long and wordy. In the first few sentences, explain how you know this person (co-worker, neighbor, business acquaintance) and for how long. Mention any shared any experiences such as coaching the same basketball team, singing in the church choir or working on a project together at the office.

Think of two or three major character traits to describe this person that would be pertinent to the reason you are writing the reference. Are they honest and dependable? Do they always finish what they start? While Mike may be the best guitar player you know and can recite lyrics from songs written twenty years ago, chances are these are not reasons he`ll get that job offer. Think of what you would say if you were asked to make a toast to this person during a special occasion.

A short anecdote describing how this person handled a difficult situation will make your letter stand out from the rest. Think of an incident that made you see this person in a new light. Finally, add a short statement that draws the letter to a close.

Here`s a sample letter of reference.

To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write this Letter of Reference for Mike Smith. I have lived next door to Mike for ten years, and we both have served on the XYZ Neighborhood Watch Committee for the past three years.

Mike is a pleasure to work with on this committee. His drive and determination to make our neighborhood a safer place was the catalyst in getting our local government to install a traffic light at a busy intersection in our community. Once, during a power outage in rush hour, and risking life and limb, Mike took the initiative to direct traffic himself rather than risk an accident at this intersection.

Mike`s perseverance and genuine concern for his fellow citizen are perfect examples of why it is my privilege to recommend him for a position with your company. I feel confident he will be an asset to your organization and will add to your continued success.

7 Traffic Techniques for Network Marketers

Network marketing is a numbers game. The more people you introduce to your opportunity, the more money you`ll make. To start generating a steady stream of traffic to your site, try these 7 creative techniques:


1. Write and Distribute Articles, Reports and Ebooks. Internet users are all interested in one thing – information. Use this to promote your business by creating high quality content and allowing others to reprint it for you. One great way to do this is to distribute a brandable ebook or special report. This is one that a website or list owner can change to include a reference to their website. This doesn`t mean that it looks like they are the publisher, it`s just a way for them to include information on where the ebook was downloaded from and (if applicable) to include their affiliate link for your products and services.

2. Participate in Newsgroups, Forums, and Mailing Lists. There are hundreds of forums online and you can find one for almost any topic imaginable. Most allow you to include a signature line that will be attached to every message. This is a chance for you to advertise your site. Visiting these forums to post thoughtful questions and offer your expertise will mean your signature is viewed by others and will bring you free, targeted traffic. Of course how much traffic you get depends on how often you post and whether your signature makes people want to visit your site. A good approach is to use an ad you`ve had success with elsewhere as your signature.

3. Join Networking Sites to Build your Personal Network. Networking sites are designed to make it easy for people to meet others in their industry and to advertise their products and service. Similar to offline networking events where lots of people come together for the sole purpose of meeting people, online networking sites work the same way.

4. Use Classified Sites and Traffic Exchanges. Classified ad sites and traffic exchanges have gotten a bad reputation, but they really do work if you know how to use them. If you`re promoting a product or service that advertisers can benefit from then they`re a great place to get traffic. Although not very many consumers visit this type of advertising sites, lots of website owners do in order to make sure their ad appears on the site. While there they can`t help but notice other ads and if one catches their attention you`re likely to get a visitor.

5. Run a Contest. People love the prospect of winning something – that`s why a contest can be a great traffic generator. The key is to choose a prize that will attract people from your target audience. If you make the grand prize a new laptop you`ll get entries from everyone who would like to win a new laptop (which is basically every computer user in the world!). Get more targeted traffic by choosing something that your target audience is interested in but wouldn`t mean much to other people. To start promoting your contest do a search in Google for "Contest Directories" and you`ll find lots of places to list your contest for free.

6. Include a Powerful Signature on all Outgoing Email. Every time you send a piece of mail you have the potential to get a visitor to your site. Simply create a "signature" that is automatically added to every outgoing message. Use the signature to briefly explain what you do, give your USP or slogan and add a hyperlink to your site. Once it`s set up you don`t have to think about it again!

7. Try Newsletter Classified Ads. There are lots of newsletter publishers who give classified ads to new subscribers. Although these don`t typically bring a huge response, they can generate some traffic if you offer something with a high perceived value but low price tag. They`re also a great way to test new ads to see which ones get the best response. Once you`ve found a winner use it in a PPC campaign, make it your new email signature, run it as a top sponsor newsletter ad or use it as your forum signature.

5 Reasons You Should Use An Affiliate Management Software

Everyone knows that if you are to have a successful Internet Business, you have to create quality products that people will be eager to buy.

But letТs say that you have already created your product and that you have started to generate a good income from it. You are obviously satisfied with the results youТre getting but still Е if you could just get more traffic to your site, if you could just send your offer to more subscribers, if you could only get more exposure, you know that your income would skyrocket.

Well, if you want all that then thereТs a great way to get it: by using an Affiliate Management Software. Here are 5 great benefits of using one:

1. Gather an army of motivated affiliates.

These affiliates will work 24/7 to promote your business with no risk to you whatsoever. Whenever they send you a paying customer, you reword their work with commissions.

2. Increase Your Sales With Recommendations From Third Parties.

These are much more powerful than your direct promotion. Customers will be more eager to buy your product when other people recommend it Ц it just gives you more credibility.

3. Never spend a dime on advertising again.

Your affiliates will promote your product so that you donТt have to. YouТll get free traffic to your site and youТll only pay when someone makes a sale.

4. Save hundreds of dollars you used to spend on ezine solo ads.

Your trustworthy associates will send your offer to their own list of subscribers possibly generating thousands of dollars with zero effort on your part.

5. Never struggle to get your site a top 10 position in the search engines.

You get all the exposure you could ever dream of by convincing the sites that already rank high to become your affiliates. This way your product will appear on the first page of results for all of your keywords without lifting another finger.

These are just some of the great benefits an Affiliate Management Software brings, so you should take advantage of them immediately.