Get Your Visitors To Voluntarily Give You Their Contact Information

Get Your Visitors To Voluntarily Give You Their Contact Information
By Keith Thirgood

If you listen to a group of website designers and developers you will notice a sound
coming from them that sounds suspiciously like a Mantra. "Content is king. Content
is king."

If you believe what they pitch, all you need to do to succeed is to find a way to make
your website "sticky". The idea is that your visitors will not be able to resist coming
back, over and over, until they buy.

It's a great theory. But a little observation combined with a little knowledge of
human behaviour puts the lie to their nice little theory. Look at your own behaviour.
How many websites have you bookmarked in your browser? I have over 500.

Of these, how many do you remember why you bookmarked them? I know with my
own, I'm lucky if I can remember 50% of them. And of the sites I do remember, I
only regularly visit 5 or 10 sites. That's 5 or 10 sites out of 500. Those other sites
were all "sticky" too. What happened to them?

Real life is what happened. Your target market doesn't have the time to revisit all of
the sites that interest them. So what happens to the "sticky" site you've invested so
much time making so? It gets forgotten by all those people who should be your
clients.

There's a simple way to remedy the situation. Capture your visitors' e-mail address
so that you can keep up a regular dialogue with them.

Now you have two questions: How do I capture my visitors' addresses, and what do I
send them?

The answer to the first is found via the answer to the second. Offer them something
they'll value, on a continual basis. This newsletter you are reading is an example of
one of the most common items you can offer. People are on the Web searching for
valuable information. If you offer to deliver it to them on a regular basis, many of
your visitors will volunteer their contact information.

Newsletters work well for products and services that have depth and dimension to
them. I could write on marketing issues for years and not risk running out of things
to say. Nor do I put my business at risk by "giving away the store."

The drawback to producing a newsletter is that you must commit time to writing it
on a regular basis. This proves to be difficult for many people. Some go to sites that
offer free content for newsletters. Others hire professional writers to write or edit
their material for them.

The advantage of the content sites is that their product is generally either free or
very low cost. The disadvantage is that the content may not fit your market's needs.

The advantage of hiring professionals (Like Capstone: shameless plug) is that their
material can be sharply focused on your target's needs. The disadvantage is they
cost more.

Newsletters are not the only tool. Some businesses might find contests appropriate.
Every month a contest form is e-mailed out to participants with a link back to the
server for prospects to register their entry. This sort of contact tool can grow a
database rapidly, depending upon the prizes and the target audience.

Periodic "special reports" can be offered. Contact is less frequent than with a
newsletter, but the need to keep a regular schedule is diminished.

Another tool may be periodic "industry alert" or "industry news" bulletins. These
don't demand the writing skills of newsletter producers, however they do require
you to be up-to-date with the latest developments in your industry. (Or your target
market's industry.) An e-mail alert can be simply formatted and consist of mostly
bullet points, interspersed with comments.

Or for certain industries and businesses, people will sign up simply to receive notice
of your latest special. I receive e-mail announcements from about 15 different
companies whom I've given permission to send me their sale announcements. (But
don't abuse your prospects using this privilege. You'd better send them *real* sales
announcements, not just sales material.)

One of the beauties of regular e-mail contact is that it all can be automated!
Through the appropriate use of autoresponders and listservers, your effort is
reduced to just creating the e-mail that's to be sent. Maintenance is handled by the
software.

You can set these systems up yourself, although it's often easier and more
successful to have professionals (shameless plug #2) do this. There are some
services out there, offering free listservers and autoresponders, but you pay for
them by allowing other peoples' advertisements on your e-mail. For a professional
business, this is not a very good option.

Some ISPs provide listservers and autoresponders as part of their basic business
service. (Our own ISP provides these for free.) Most other ISPs charge extra for these
items, or don't carry them at all and expect you to buy your own.

Keeping in regular touch with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of your prospects is
good marketing in my books. If you want to make your web presence more
effective, there are few things you can do that will return so much on such a small
investment.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director, Editor Thrive-on-Line

 Capstone Communications Group Helping businesses get more  business through innovative marketing Markham, Ontario, Canada  905-472-2330 Subscribe to Thrive-on-line [http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line]

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Why Have a Website?

Why Have a Website?
By Keith Thirgood

Money. For any business, the ultimate goal for having a website is to make money.
Your site is not a status symbol, it's a tool, designed to make more money for your
business.

However, money's not enough. Ask yourself: Beyond the ultimate goal of earning
more money, is your website designed to gather leads, service customers, enhance
your image, produce direct sales, or something else? It's important to choose.
Because, without a primary objective, you have no way of deciding what should go
in your website or how it should be structured, let alone evaluate whether it's
working or not.

The next big question is: Do I have the time and the inclination to design and
manage the website myself? If yes, there are plenty of inexpensive, user-friendly
web creation software packages available, for all platforms. You might also consider
having it professionally designed, but managing it yourself.

If you are going to get professional help, take the time to clearly understand what
you want a website developer to deliver, and what you must provide for a successful
site. Approach designers with your goals and objectives, and a budget in hand.
Don't' expect, or allow, a designer to tell you what to spend. It's not their money,
and not their future. It's yours, take command.

Evaluate these professionals on how clearly they can respond to your budget and
goals. Can they explain why you should have the basic elements they're suggesting?
Can they clarify why they do not have certain things in their proposal that others
might have included? If all they say is "For $xxxxx you get 14 pages," look further.
These people are providing a cookie cutter approach to web design.

Additionally, don't be mislead by a flashy portfolio of sites they've designed. Try to
analyse any sites they show you from the eye of the company that needed the site.
Ask them what the goal of each site was, and try to determine if the site delivers on
the goal.

With your objective in mind (and possibly a professional at your side), it's now time
to develop the tactics you'll use to succeed. I assume you are developing a website
for marketing and selling purposes, not just image.

Keeping your focus on the objective of your website, put your primary emphasis in
developing content and the necessary tools to communicate with prospects.
Attractive graphics and design are vital to success, but forget the animations, the
streaming video and all the other bells and whistles. (Unless, of course, these bells
and whistles are what you're selling.).

Bells and whistles tend to slow sites down, some are annoying and some (Java,
audio, video, etc.) are not supported by all browsers. (Some designers/programmers
will tell you that 80% of the browsers support X, Y or Z special effect. In theory, yes.
However, I've found that most regular surfers don't have their browsers configured
properly to take advantage of all the features it's capable of using.) Remember, it's
about communications.

One of the best tactics of generating prospect communication is by gaining your
visitor's e-mail address. It's just like getting a prospect's address and phone
number. With these, you can begin a dialogue. What people are now calling
"Permission Marketing".

I've found that at most websites, capturing prospect contact information isn't a very
high priority. Usually, the concentration is on products and services. Keep in mind,
research has shown most people don't buy the very first time they hear about, or
see, a product or service. The rule of thumb in advertising is, a prospect needs
seven exposures before they will take any kind of action. This holds true for the
Internet. If prospects visit your website, have look, leave and never come back;
you've failed. Either your site must be so compelling, that they keep coming back.
Or you need to gather their contact info, so that you can continue to bring your
marketing message to them again and again.

Gathering E-Mail Addresses

What might induce a visitor to give you their e-mail address? How about a free
subscription to your electronic newsletter? Or a free report on a subject of interest
to them? (Related to your field, of course.) Or, announcements on special offers in
the area of their interest? Show them the benefits and many of them will sign on!

Don't simply ask prospects for their contact information. People are very wary of
handing out personal information. They want to know what's in it for them, before
they'll give you such valuable information.

Once you have their e-mail address, immediately contact the prospect. This can be
done by sending each contact a personal e-mail, or by using a listserver/
autoresponder. Immediately send your prospect information about the benefits of
doing business with you. (How hard or soft an approach you take is up to you and
your style. And to some extent, the style of your industry.)

A listserver is software which stores e-mail addresses, and can automatically e-mail
information to your entire prospect list. This allows you to send special
announcements, tips, industry information, etc. to your prospects on a regular
basis, at next to no cost. You can even set the listserver to send a final batch of
information if a prospect asks to be unsubscribed from your list. It's one last chance
to impress them with the value of your product/service.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

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Where is "King Content?"

Where is "King Content?"
By Keith Thirgood

One bit of advice you'll read over and over about business websites is that "content
is king". Whether this is true or not is debatable, but most marketing and web
advisors agree that content is very important. Great! But how do you get this
fabulous, important content that surfers are looking for?

Most businesses assume that they can create it in-house. Not a bad idea. After all,
they would be writing about their own subject. That shouldn't be so hard. Should it?
Well, very few of us are natural writers; able to turn any subject into scintillating
prose that our public will eat up. Even for those who are able to do this, do they--
do you--have the time? And what's your time worth?

Quality content is expensive to create. For your website to be a useful marketing or
sales tool, the cost of delivering clients must be low enough to make it profitable. A
difficult balancing act.

There are a variety of ways you can "develop" content for your website, which don't
include huge expenditures of time or cash, including the following:

COMPILE and CONDENSE
In general, people prefer to read short, sharp copy on the web. (Articles like this one
are one of the exceptions. :-) ) If you have content in other formats, summarise it.
It's far cheaper than creating content from scratch.

Also, you can summarise content from other web sites or print media. It's true.
Under copyright law, you CAN use other people's material, using the principle of
"fair use". To see how to do this, read the newspaper and trade magazines. They
often are 'reporting' on someone else's information. You take some of the material
you want to use directly as quotes, and write your own commentary around it.

CASE STUDIES
For a company whose business is problem solving, case studies can provide tonnes
of interesting content. Writing up a case study is quite simple. Do it in three parts.
1. The situation the client faced. 2. The solution you proposed and implemented. 3.
The results your client received from your solution. There's no need for fancy prose.
Just the facts ma'am.

LINKING
There is no less expensive content than a link. Some websites gain all of their
popularity through their links. In fact, that's all search engines and directories are,
just huge collections of links.

You can build a large collection of hard-to-find, specialised links, exclusive to your
industry. This will make you a resource for those looking for the websites you link
to.

The downside is if someone is coming to your site to search for a particular website,
they will soon be leaving your site to visit the link. You need to make the rest of
your site intriguing enough to keep these searchers with you.

The best kind are reciprocal links, where you trade links with other websites who
attract the same sort of traffic as you are looking for. Think of it as a form of barter.
Some advisors tell you not to link to your competitors. I disagree. Your competitors'
websites are the ideal places to exchange links with. (If they have the nerve to.)

To see more about how to find reciprocal links, read my article called a "Quick Guide
to Finding Reciprocal Links" at http://www.capstonecomm.com/articleindex.html

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Does your site need a substantial amount of new content on a regular basis?
Content that you don't already create. If so, the ideal solution may be to form an
alliance with someone who does produce the right sort of content. (Here, you likely
don't want to ally yourself with a competitor.)

A writer might want more exposure on the web, so will allow you to run his articles
in exchange for links back to his own website or e-mail. These links would appear
in the full bio, which is published along with every article he gives you. Other
content producers might need something you produce on a regular basis. That need
might be the basis to build the alliance from.

BUY IT!
There are many authors on the web selling general content, and willing and able to
develop custom content for you. There are also organisations devoted to developing
and selling content. These include news feeds, many of which may be appropriate to
your needs.

GET YOUR VISITORS TO CREATE IT
This can be best of all. There are a number of tools to enable your visitors to
generate content: mailing lists, discussion lists, chat rooms, client reviews, etc. (For
example, Amazon gets its customers to write online reviews of books they have
purchased.)

These tools can be set up to run automatically, but there is a danger to the 'hands
off' approach. Spammers can pollute your discussion list with their advertising. Chat
rooms can degenerate into rude and lewd war zones. Mailing lists can be abused in
the same fashion. For these tools to work in your favour, they must be watched on a
daily (or even tighter) basis.

There you have it. Six different approaches to creating "King Content". Do you have
any other ways of generating content I haven't mentioned? I'd like to hear from you
if you do.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director, Editor Thrive-on-Line http://www.capstonecomm.com Capstone Communications Group Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330 Subscribe to Thrive-on-line [http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line]

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Where-is-King-Content?&id=1756

Top Seven Ways to Tune up your Website

Top Seven Ways to Tune up your Website
By Philippa Gamse

We're in a recession, and perhaps your business is slightly slower than usual.� But it's always a good time to take stock of what's working for you, and what needs some attention - including your Web site!

Here are my suggestions for a great tune-up audit - take a fresh look at your site and your promotional strategy with these pointers:

1. Is your site appealing to all your markets?�

Do you have different potential buyers for different aspects of your products and services?� Is there content on your site that's designed for each of these?� Have you considered whether your Web audience might be different from your traditional markets, and if so, whether you can exploit that?

2. Does your content engage your visitors?

Your site should be written from your visitors' point of view, not yours.� Does your home page clearly recognize why the reader might be there - what's in it for them, and why they should care?� What are the problems or issues that they might have, and how will you solve them?

3. Can you make your case?

If you claim that your products or services achieve results, do you have clear content on your site that substantiates this?� Do you have case studies, sample client lists, and testimonials from happy customers?� Third party endorsements are worth far more than your own promotional text, and they should be spread throughout your site, not relegated to a separate page that few visitors will go to.

4. Do you position yourself as an expert?

One of the most effective ways to get exposure is to publish articles, and white papers around your area of expertise.� Even if you sell widgets, you can help people get the most out of using them!� Articles on your site will be picked up by the search engines, and you can also offer them to publications that your target markets read - always with a link back, or reference to your site, of course.

5. Do you ask for the business?

Whatever the outcomes that you want from your site, you need to ask for it.� Too many Web pages end weakly, with no clear calls to action.� Don't make your visitors have to work to decide what to do next - they won't!� Every page on your site should have a strategy - invite the visitor to interact with you, or go to the next page, but make it easy and obvious.

6. Do you have a diversified promotional strategy?

Don't depend on free search engines to get you traffic.� Are you exploring other ways of promoting your site - such as using your content and articles, advertising in e-zines, appending a signature file to your e-mail, regularly sending updates to your database, and ensuring that your traditional marketing is integrated with your online activities?

7. Are you reviewing your traffic analysis?

Last, but really key - your Website traffic reports will tell you what's working and what isn't.� Without this information, you're really shooting in the dark - what if you were to find that the majority of your hard-earned visitors never go beyond your home page?

This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a good start.� I hope that your Web site passes the test!

(c) Philippa Gamse, 2001. All rights reserved.

Philippa Gamse is a professional speaker and web strategy expert who spends much of her time creating website strategies for her clients. To read her blog and free articles visit http://websitesthatwin.com for more information.

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How to Communicate Most Effectively Via E-mail

How to Communicate Most Effectively Via E-mail
By Andrea J. Lee

When you observe a veteran craftsperson, what you see is beauty. Whether they are a glass blower, a chef, or a gymnast, there is an economy of movement, a rhythm, and a flair to their actions that signals to you this person has done what they're doing many times before. Because of that, they've discovered what I call the musicality in their actions. It might seem pretentious to apply this analogy to online business owners and their email, but drawing the comparison does make a point. There is an art to email that goes beyond bits and bytes that I am very fond of. As an online business ownerI consider email my instrument, and I've discovered a few tips and shifts about how to use it that can help you become more effective. Here are a few tips.

1. If you're having trouble getting someone to respond to your email, piggyback your question onto something they wrote. This works especially well if it's someone with a high-profile. Have you ever tried emailing someone new with a question, and not heard back? I suggest you try again, but write your email as a reply to something they wrote. It's human nature for people to look at a reply to something they emailed out before they reply to an email that looks like it's asking for something out of the blue. Doing this is equivalent to joining a conversation that's already in progress, as opposed to starting a brand new one. How do you reply to something a person wrote? Subscribe to their ezine. This is an especially good practice if you are building joint ventures online. If you think you've discovered someone who you'd like to partner or collaborate with, it makes sense to look at their website. While there, subscribe to their ezine so you can get to know them better. And then when you have a note to drop them, do so in response to one of their issues.

2. Be courteous. Don't automatically use your "Urgent" flag to mark your emails. Is your email really urgent? Really. If not, please don't succumb to the urge to mark it that way. People will notice if you abuse the privilege of asking for fast attention by misusing your "urgent" flag. Sad to say, I for one routinely ignore the "urgent" flag of a couple key people. I know they're marking themselves urgent because they think they're important, and that annoys me. So don't let that be you. Instead, consider judiciously using your "not urgent" flag. That's the blue arrow that points downwards, if you're working in Microsoft Outlook. When I receive an email marked with a "not urgent" flag - now this is giving things away - I've become predisposed to be extra gracious towards the person because they've been considerate of my time, and let me know I needn't rush to read their email. 3. Put your best foot forward. Do you have a good "friendly name" in place? If you don't know what this is, address an email to yourself and when it arrives, look to see what it says in the "from" column. In Microsoft Outlook, click on "Tools" then select "Accounts" and click on the "Properties" button for an existing email address. You'll then see the spot where you can edit your current "friendly name." It may well be the world's tiniest marketing space, but your friendly name is like your handshake. In the virtual world, it's the first thing that makes an impression on the reader and you know what they say about first impressions. I've even seen some enterprising marketers use that space to advertise a new product, "One More Day to Save $50" or "I Must Be Crazy." This is fine, but feels a little junk mail-ey, so use caution. Then again, you can also say "Your Name | It's My Birthday!" and have some fun with it.

Once you start paying attention, you'll begin getting in the groove. That's what online business owners do when they start treating their email as though it was their musical instrument, not just a tool. That's because it is.

Andrea J. Lee coaches entrepreneurs and online business owners. As Thomas J. Leonard's General Manager, she helped build and manage the largest network and trainer of personal and business coaches in the world. Now the CEO of Andrea J. Lee Group of Companies, she writes, speaks and consults on Marketing, Internet and Business systems. For more helpful tips, visit http://www.multiplestreamsofcoachingincome.com/join.html.

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Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

Get Motivated and Stay Motivated
By Jane McLain

Because starting a new business takes a lot of sustained effort over a long period of time, staying motivated can be a challenge. When your motivation is flagging, you can't muster any enthusiasm for your work or give it your all. If you want to keep the motivation going, it helps to know yourself and what your own personal motivators are.

Remember your reasons. You need to periodically refresh your memory about why you wanted to go into business for yourself in the first place. Remind yourself of what's great about your business and why it's right for you.

Identify your own personal motivators. Different people are motivated by different things. What's motivating for you? It might be financial freedom, pride, recognition, proving yourself, a sense of accomplishment, or freedom to live the lifestyle of your dreams. Whatever your motivators are, make sure your business provides plenty of what you need to keep you going.

Set some short-term goals. It's important to have long-term goals, but you need to set some shorter-term goals, too. Achieving those smaller intermediate goals will give you a sense of accomplishment and make it easier to keep striving for the bigger ones.

Reward yourself. Whenever you've reached a milestone, worked extra hard, or experienced a breakthrough, reward yourself. The reward could be a cash bonus, a day off, dinner out, or something else that you enjoy.

Create a pleasant work environment. Smart employers know that providing a clean, comfortable, and relaxing work environment is the key to more productive employees. Do the same for yourself - create a pleasant work space that you'll enjoy walking into each morning.

Do more of what you like. The more you like what you're doing, the more willing you'll be to do it and the better you'll be at it. Structure your business so you can do more of what you like and less of what you don't.

Takes stock of your accomplishments. At the end of each day, review what you've achieved and the progress that you've made. Building a successful business is a long journey of many small steps, so remember that each day brings you closer to your ultimate goals.

Challenge yourself. Set a personal challenge for yourself. You could decide to polish up your website, come up with a clever advertising campaign, or find a co-marketing partner. Break from the status quo and stretch yourself a bit.

Celebrate your successes. In the corporate world, managers often motivate employees by celebrating business successes and recognizing their contributions. Why shouldn't you do the same? Ask a friend or colleague to join you for lunch or dinner to celebrate important milestones.

Envision success. Don't lose sight of your dream. What does "success" look like in your mind's eye? What are you hoping to accomplish by running your own business? What are the rewards for succeeding? Envision success as you define it and surround yourself with images and objects that help you stay focused on that vision.

Jane McLain is a Web developer and SEO specialist and the webmaster of EClaunchsite.com [http://www.eclaunchsite.com], an online resource center for netrepreneurs with tools and information to help you plan, build, launch and grow your e-business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_McLain
http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Motivated-and-Stay-Motivated&id=2229

How to Write a Great Article

How to Write a Great Article
By Jane McLain

Writing your own articles is a great way to generate targeted content, build your professional reputation, and create original content for your website that will attract new visitors. Best of all, it will cost you nothing but your time. If you'd like to write your own articles but don't know how to get started, don't worry. Even if you've never written an article before, you can learn to write great articles if you take it one step at a time, prepare in advance, and stay focused on your readers.

Pick a topic.
The first step (and sometimes the hardest) is to select a topic for your article. Consider the wants and needs of your target audience. Inspiration for an article could come from just about anywhere - ezines, conversations with your colleagues, online forums and discussion lists, chat rooms and bulletin boards, emails from customers, newscasts, and last, but not least, your own experiences. If you choose a topic that's popular with other authors, don't write more on the subject unless you can go into more depth, take a fresh approach, or hold a different viewpoint.

Plan before you write.
Facing a blank page can be pretty intimidating, but starting with an outline will help. Put down the general idea(s) you wish to get across and list specific points you want to make. Put them in a logical order; go from the general to the specific. Don't try to make too many points in one article. It's better to cover one topic thoroughly and convincingly than to jump around and fail to make your point at all.

Start writing.
Once you've got the right idea and organized your notes, it's time to start writing. Don't worry too much about precise wording when you write your first draft; just get your thoughts down and make your point. Then develop your ideas in a convincing way that makes sense to your readers, flows well, and holds their interest. Tackle one main idea per paragraph. Begin your article with a strong "lead in" - a sentence or two that tells readers what your article is about and how they will benefit from reading.

Always write for your readers.
Make sure you're sharing useful information with your readers. What are they worried about? What challenges do they face? What decisions do they need help with? What they like to know how to do, or how to do better? Adding real value for your readers is the key to writing the kind of article that people will want to read and webmasters will want to pass on to their readers. Always write from your readers' perspective.

Be yourself.
It can take awhile to find your own personal writing style, but it's important to be yourself. In general, writing for the Internet allows you to be more conversational and less formal than you would be when writing for other media. Express yourself in your own words and let your personality shine through. Sharing your own experiences and anecdotes from your own life is a great way to "connect" with your reader and add a personal touch.

Be brief.
The attention span of Web surfers is notoriously short, so be as brief as you can be and still get your meaning across. Write as much as you need to in order to develop your ideas fully and get your point across, but no more. If the article still ends up being too long, either publish it in installments (Part 1, Part 2, etc.) or split it into two or more separate articles. When you edit for the sake of brevity, hold onto the extra material - you may be able to use it for another article in the future.

Stay Focused.
As always, writing for the Web requires that you stay focused on your topic. Refer to your outline for the major points you want to make. Write enough to develop your ideas, but no more. Don't say the same thing twice. Lead logically to your conclusion. Lose the "filler". If you find you can't cover the topic in enough depth given the size limits for your article, narrow your topic or write two separate articles rather than one.

Be specific.
Too many Web and EzineArticles speak in vague generalities. If you want your article to be truly helpful, be specific. Provide information, suggestions, and tips that readers can translate into action. Offer links to helpful resources. Recommend tools and techniques that have worked for you. The more specific you are, the more useful your article will be.

Make it shine.
When your first draft is done, put it aside for a few days and then read it again. Is it convincing and concise? Is it easy to read and understand? Does it flow well? Proofread carefully - double check your spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. Check for run-on or incomplete sentences. If possible, show it to several friends, colleagues or family members and ask for their feedback. Many times another set of eyes will be able to spot mistakes you missed.

Wrap it up.
Don't forget the finishing touches. Give your article a descriptive and catchy title. Add your resource box at the bottom of your article. At a minimum you should include your name, your website's URL, and a brief description of your business. If you want other webmasters to pick up your article for publication, offer reprint permission and state any conditions (a link back to your site, notification when the article is published, etc.).

Jane McLain is a Web developer and SEO specialist and the webmaster of EClaunchsite.com [http://www.eclaunchsite.com], an online resource center for netrepreneurs with tools and information to help you plan, build, launch and grow your e-business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_McLain
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Write-a-Great-Article&id=2209

Keeping Your Balance

Keeping Your Balance
By Jane McLain

As an entrepreneur, you are the backbone of your business and the driving force behind it. If you want to achieve success - and actually get to enjoy it - you'll need to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically. Long hours, hard work, multi-tasking and having to "switch hats" constantly can take a lot out of you. Here are some suggestions for keeping your balance:

Safeguard your health. Do whatever you need to in order to stay healthy, physically and mentally. Go for a daily walk, join a gym, or take up yoga. Exercise is energizing and a great way to fight stress. Eat a healthy meal with the family instead of snacking at your desk. And whatever you do, get enough sleep. You can't do your best work while you're burning the midnight oil, anyway, so why not tackle it when you're rested?

Fend off burnout. Burnout is the result of ongoing stress from a variety of sources, and can leave you unmotivated and ineffective, not just in your role as an entrepreneur but in your personal life as well. Assess your own risk of burnout and the likely causes, given your own personality and the nature of your business. Take action right away to combat burnout if you notice the symptoms.

Fight isolation. Let's face it, working alone can get pretty lonely. To fight isolation you'll have to make an effort to stay connected to current friends and make new ones. Email and discussion groups will help you stay connected during your work hours, but connect with people offline as well. Technology is great, but there's nothing like face-to-face communication.

Be good to yourself. Do something nice for YOU each and every day. If you don't have a hobby, get one. Treat yourself to dinner and a movie or some other indulgence at the end of the week. Celebrate whenever you reach a goal or milestone.

Don't lose sight of your dream. What made you decide to start your own business in the first place? Remembering why you're in business will help you stay motivated, and keeping your long-term goals in mind will help you cope with temporary setbacks. Always keep your eyes on the prize.

Don't neglect your personal life. Running a business can be exciting, gratifying, and fulfilling in many ways, but no matter how mcuh we enjoy it, work can never meet all our needs. If you sold your business tomorrow and closed the doors, what would be left with? If the answer is "nothing", start working to change that today.

Know your limits. Don't set yourself up to fail by biting off more than you can chew to trying to go too far too fast. All of your resources - time, energy, money - are finite, so do what you can with what you have, but don't set out to achieve the impossible. And remember that no matter how hard you try, there are always factors beyond your control that will impact your success.

Take a break. Don't neglect to take time off and time out. Find time to do what you truly enjoy. Have your morning coffee at the local coffee shop. Run errands in the middle of the day. Meet a friend for lunch once a week. Give yourself vacation leave, and use the time to go somewhere.

Try a change of scenery. Get away from the computer once in awhile. Even if it's just going out to the garden to have your morning coffee, a change of scenery will do you good. Walk around the block, have lunch at the mall, or take your laptop to the park.

Leave the job at the office. One of the major frustrations of entrepreneurship is that your work is never really "done" and there's always something more you could be doing, but at some point you'll need to call it quits for the day. Make a commitment to leave the office at quitting time unless there's a bona fide emergency that just can't wait till the next day.

Jane McLain is a Web developer and SEO specialist and the webmaster of EClaunchsite.com [http://www.eclaunchsite.com], an online resource center for netrepreneurs with tools and information to help you plan, build, launch and grow your e-business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_McLain
http://EzineArticles.com/?Keeping-Your-Balance&id=2226

Writing for the Web

Writing for the Web
By Jane McLain

Website content, ezines, articles, e-books - if you run an online business you'll probably do your fair share of writing. If you're not entirely confident about your writing abilities, don't worry. You can master writing for the Web and learn to turn out clean, clear, and convincing copy. You just need to understand the nature of the Web and always write with your reader in mind. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

Get organized.
Create an outline of the entire site before you begin to help you stay organized as you write, and work from that outline to create each page. Start out with general information and progressively get more detailed and specific as you go on. Tackle your subject systematically and lead toward a logical conclusion.

Make it easy to read.
Computer monitors are considerably more difficult to read from than the printed page. Don't overwhelm your readers with endless lines of text. Instead, break it up into logical sections and paragraphs. Formatting text in columns rather than lines as wide as the screen will make it easier to read. Use eye-catching headings to emphasize important points and key concepts.

Get to the point.
Go straight to the point in your opening paragraph - tell the reader what you're writing about and how they will benefit from reading it. Grab your readers' attention and motivate them to read on. People are busy and there's plenty of competition for their time and attention, so let them know what's in it for them and why they should stick around to read on.

Write for your readers.
The right perspective is the reader's perspective. People visit a website because they want information and want it fast, so give them what they came for. Instead of focusing on what you want to tell them, tell them what they want to know. Ask yourself what kind of person is likely to be reading what you write, and tailor your writing to that group. Don't use any technical terms your audience might not be familiar with. You want to come across as knowledgeable without talking down to your readers.

Keep it short.
When it comes to writing for the Web, less is more. Reading from a computer monitor is relatively taxing on the eyes, so be concise. Make sure you've covered your subject thoroughly but concisely. Paragraphs should be relatively short (generally, three to five sentences). If your subject can't be covered thoroughly enough in a short article or on a Web page, split it up into two articles or Web pages.

Stay focused.
Stay focused on the main idea you want to express in each paragraph or section. After you've finished, reread what you've written to make sure you haven't strayed from your topic. If you find you've digressed or gone off on a tangent, cut the extra material for use in another article. Your content should closely match your title or heading and introduction (in other words, make sure you've given the reader what you promised.

Be yourself.
Be conversational but professional. Formality and "corporate speak" seem out of place on the Web, unless you happen to be marketing exclusively to executive types. Otherwise it's fine to speak in the first person and share your own viewpoints. Letting your own personality shine through and sharing your own experiences is a great way to build a relationship with your readers.

Don't come on too strong.
We've all seen those websites that are trying too hard. Hyped up sales copy, excessive exclamation points, and text in too many different sizes and fonts are more likely to motivate the reader to leave immediately than to buy the product. Accentuate the positive, but don't exaggerate or make exorbitant claims or promises you can't keep. Instead of going for the hard sell, let your products speak for themselves. Stick to features, benefits, and objective comparisons with your competitors' products.

Think globally.
Remember, it is called the World Wide Web, after all, and your site could be viewed by visitors who have many different native languages, cultures, religions, and values. For that reason write for a broad audience. Photographs and language that are acceptable in the United States might be offensive to citizens of more traditional or conservative countries. Humor can liven up your site, but make sure the jokes are in good taste and won't be construed as sexist, racist, or derogatory toward any group.

Check your work.
Little mistakes have a way of standing out, and even one glaring mistake can undermine your professional image. Proofread your copy very carefully, more than once, and ideally have someone else proofread it as well. In particular, watch out for spelling and grammatical errors, missing punctuation, omitted or duplicated words, and poorly constructed sentences. Using your spell checker will help, but it's no substitute for careful reading by a human. You might find it's easier to spot errors in your text if you print it out and read it.

Get another opinion.
Recruit a few friends or colleagues who aren't overly familiar with your products and company to give you their opionions on what you've written. Could they understand your description of your product(s)? Was your explanation of the benefits and selling points convincing? Were they left with any unanswered questions? Be open to their criticisms and questions and use their feedback to fine tune your copy.

Consult a pro.
You might have something worthwhile to say but that doesn't mean you necessarily have a talent for writing compelling copy. If writing just isn't your strong suit, don't hesitate to enlist the help of a professional to help you get your thoughts down on paper. Depending on your own abilities, you might call in a proofreader, editor or even a "ghost writer" to help you convert your ideas into professional-looking copy.

Jane McLain is a Web developer and SEO specialist and the webmaster of EClaunchsite.com [http://www.eclaunchsite.com], an online resource center for netrepreneurs with tools and information to help you plan, build, launch and grow your e-business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_McLain
http://EzineArticles.com/?Writing-for-the-Web&id=2208

Using Repackaging to 'Go Big' with Your Online Biz

Using Repackaging to 'Go Big' with Your Online Biz
By Andrea J. Lee

It's actually quite common for online business owners to find themselves stuck. So let's start with a bang and talk about one of the best ways I know to give your online business a real-world boost. Come to understand the concept of 'Repackaging' or 'Repurposing' When I go to the grocery store in the month of November, I always shake my head in admiration. The reason is it's pretty obvious what the Big Chocolate companies have done, isn't it? They've taken the same chocolate product and changed the packaging (switched the giant plastic bags for high-end boxes.) It doesn't matter if it's Cadbury, Hershey or Lindt...you're looking at the very same chocolate only put to a new purpose...helping us celebrate Christmas instead of Halloween. Brilliant. And a critically important lesson for online biz owners. So here's the question to ask yourself: "What intellectual property do I have that I can (quickly and with relatively little effort) repackage and sell to a new set of customers?" Answer: Step 1: Start by listing your current inventory of intellectual property.
Dig deep and don't overlook the obvious. If you've created a one-page website, terrific, put it on your list. Other things to list include lesson plans, graphical banners, audio clips, TeleClass titles you've led, even the list of ideas in your notebook is part of your IP inventory...you don't have to have a website. Other more traditional items are CD sets, workbooks, assessments, your ezine, eBooks, etc. Step 2: Now brainstorm how to make your material new again.
Make a list of how your current inventory can be repurposed. Can your eZine issues be compiled into an eBooklet? Maybe your eBook can be chunked into 52 issues of a weekly tip eZine...perfect to attract visitors to your website. Do this for as many items in your inventory as you can, and by all means list as many new purposes for each that occur to you. Filled in, this worksheet will become your list of "gold nugget" projects, to return to when time or budget permit. Step 3: Choose one item and act.
I get asked every day "why do some eBusinesses succeed where others never get off the ground?" The answer is they take full advantage of the leverage they can get out of their intellectual property. By choosing one item on your list to repurpose, and following through on it, you don't just create new products for your online shelves (a great thing in and of itself.) Simply by applying the concept of repurposing, you increase the value of the time you spent creating your original offering. Your time and energy are now "worth" more than before you read this lesson. Fabulous, isn't it? For all those who are dabbling in the online world, but want to go big...good for you for starting a few things. You're right on track! Now your job is to repackage what you've got and serve your customers in as many ways as possible. Not everyone who goes out for breakfast wants their eggs scrambled. As an online business owner, your customers are waiting for you to offer them the choice that suits them best, all the way from sunny side up to eggs benedict and back again. Repackaging existing intellectual property for long term online success has such a strong track record, I'm hard pressed to think of a truly successful online business that doesn't do it. So once you get the hang of it, try going one step further and make sure new projects are developed with a good "repackageability quotient" from the start. Every new product you create can and should have three or more uses. When that starts happening naturally, you'll know you've fully integrated this strategy into your online biz.

Andrea J. Lee coaches entrepreneurs and online business owners. As Thomas J. Leonard's General Manager, she helped build and manage the largest network and trainer of personal and business coaches in the world. Now the CEO of Andrea J. Lee Group of Companies, she writes, speaks and consults on Marketing, Internet and Business systems. For more helpful tips, visit http://www.multiplestreamsofcoachingincome.com/join.html.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrea_J._Lee
http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-Repackaging-to-Go-Big-with-Your-Online-Biz&id=2172

Hiring for Online Businesses

Hiring for Online Businesses
By Andrea J. Lee

Hiring online brings with it some unique challenges, not least of which is the fact that you cannot see or even talk to some of your potential candidates... but the benefits of hiring online are so many, I'm usually hard pressed to think of a reason NOT to hire online (unless it's for a hairdresser or something!) So how can a body successfully hire online assistance, and do so quickly, covering your bases in just a couple hours? Start here. It's Best to Look Online for Online help. Since you're hiring an online contractor, it makes sense to search for them online, right? I mean, just as it makes little sense to look for a vegetarian cook at the butcher shop, or a penguin in the Sahara, there's little reason to look anywhere but online for your virtual team. That said, where online should you look? Read on... Step 1: Start with a look at your very own inbox. This is the single most effective way of finding the best help for small online business owners. And...it's very simple. Who is showing up in your inbox that has impressed you or given you a smile? Perhaps it's the way they write an email or a phrase they used that stuck out for some reason. It doesn't matter if they are a customer, in fact that could be a big plus. Got a little list of folks? Good. Step 2: Now email them with your question. Sample: "Hey Shellie, hope you're doing well! Just wanted to let you know I'm looking for some help for my online company. The person needs to have a computer at home, be familiar with email and be available 5-10 hours a week, doesn't matter what time of the day. Are you interested, or maybe you know someone who is? I'd want to start small but it could grow into something pretty cool as we go along. What do you think? Oh, and yes, start date is ASAP. Email me back if you're interested ok? Thanks!"

Step 3: Observe how they respond. It's not who responds, so much as how those people respond, that counts most when hiring online. Because many of the traditional cues are absent in an online interaction (body language, voice tone, etc.) actions really do speak louder than words. I give the most 'points' to the person who responds quickest, who answers my questions without having to repeat myself and asks "when do I start?" with enthusiasm. As far as I'm concerned, this person embodies three of the critical characteristics of an online helper and I want them on my team: 1. They eliminate delay at every opportunity (fast response)
2. They over respond to the request (answers my questions)
3. They find the opportunity compelling (cannot wait to start) In the online world, these three things are key to productivity. All the rest...can be taught, but not these. You've either got it, or you don't. Note: In Human Resource terms, the above process is called pre-screening. The people you find to hire out of your very own inbox have been prescreened on a multitude of levels just by the fact that they are there in your inbox. And yes, it's even better if they happen to be a happy customer! Bringing a raving fan onto your team can give you unique insight into how your company can continue to pursue the leading edge. Remember that because working online is still relatively new, often people don't know their own strengths. Part of your job as an online business owner is to observe what makes the person you've hired remarkable - starting with your screening process. Then put those strengths to work for your company. Lastly, don't buy into the perception that hiring online is complex. It's absolutely not. It's refreshingly simple and fast. Put the above steps into action and don't spend more than 2 or 3 hours doing it. Set a start date with your chosen candidate and get back to business.

Andrea J. Lee coaches entrepreneurs and online business owners. As Thomas J. Leonard's General Manager, she helped build and manage the largest network and trainer of personal and business coaches in the world. Now the CEO of Andrea J. Lee Group of Companies, she writes, speaks and consults on Marketing, Internet and Business systems. For more helpful tips, visit http://www.multiplestreamsofcoachingincome.com/join.html.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrea_J._Lee
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hiring-for-Online-Businesses&id=2169

Are You Ready To Author Online?

Are You Ready To Author Online?
By Jeanette S Cates, PhD

One of the most frequent questions we get is "what does it take to put my course online?"
In an effort to give you more information, this is the first in a series of articles on just that topic. In this article, we'll look at the three components that need to be in place before you start to put your content online.
Audience
Do you have an audience for your content? Creating an online course takes your time and effort. You want to ensure that there are enough people who want to see your content to make it worth your while.
If you're creating a course you should be aware of who your audience is and how to reach them. For example, will you tell them about your course through an email newsletter? A link from your website? Or a listing in your company or college course catalog?
Regardless of your approach you want to have a plan in place before you start creating your course. Ask some of your potential audience members if they would like to see the course online? Would they take it if it were offered online? What would they pay to take it in an online setting?
Content
Once you're assured that you'll have an audience, you need to look at your content. Your content may be a seminar you give on a regular basis, a college course you teach for credit or non-credit, a series of articles you've written, or a new way of performing a process that you want to share with others. Regardless of the actual information you have, it can be converted into an online course! But you'll need to ask yourself some questions about your content.
1. Do you own the rights to the content? If you've been teaching it in a face-to-face environment you may have accumulated some materials that clearly are not yours. Others may have been incorporated into your course and you're uncertain of their origin. When you post content on the Internet, you must have clear ownership of the materials or written permission to use them online. Even if you have permission to use them in your course, there is a difference in the permissions needed to use them in a single classroom and the permissions needed for online viewing.
2. How is the content organized? If you have already organized it for sharing with others, then you probably have the major topics and subtopics outlined. If not, start right now to decide on the major topics and the supporting information under each topic. How many topics should you have? That depends on your content. If you are creating an online version of a six-hour workshop, you'll probably have at least 6-10 major topics. A "topic" should not take longer than an hour to complete online.
3. What format is the content in now? If you are using hand-written notes, copies of cartoons, some transparencies, and a few other props, you'll need to begin immediately to convert the content to electronic files. You can use word processing files, spreadsheets, slide shows, java applets, etc. Almost an unlimited number of file types are supported in most authoring environments. The important thing is to remember that ALL of the content will need to be in an electronic format.
Expertise
While creating an online course is not technically challenging with a learning management system (we'll talk about that in the next lesson), it does require that you are able to use an Internet browser, that you can open word processing files, and that you can manage the electronic files you need on your hard drive. Other than that, no additional expertise is required. However, if you are a "techie" you'll find that you can use HTML files, java applets, and other technical approaches in most learning management systems. They're very user-friendly!
I hope that's given you an idea of how to start thinking about putting your content online. When you're ready for the rest of the course, send an email to elearning@techtamers.com.

Dr. Jeanette Cates is an Internet strategist who works with experts who are ready to turn their knowledge and their websites into Gold. Her reputation as a speaker and trainer has earned her the title of The Technology Tamer. With more than 20 years in instructional design and elearning, Jeanette shares her news and views in OnlineSuccessNews.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanette_S_Cates,_PhD
http://EzineArticles.com/?Are-You-Ready-To-Author-Online?&id=2644

Where Do YOU Find Your Contacts?

Where Do YOU Find Your Contacts?
By Anna-Marie Stewart

This is a question I have been asked over and over again. It`s quite simple to answer, too. I chat! That is basically all I do in my pursuit for getting contacts. I find people via chats, be it chat downloads, yahoo, get paid chats, msn messenger, any of them.

It`s personal, it`s friendly, people get to know each other so much better than through emails. I love to chat with other online marketers. It`s great for sharing hints, tips, ideas and information. Some of the people you meet seem to know so much more than you, and if you take the time, you can really learn a lot just by listening.

You can turn your contacts into joint venture partners, downline members, prospects etc. and it`s all mutual. My ezine came about through chat, just by listening to the wants and needs of other entrepreneurs like myself. I listened, and worked from what I heard. I`ve seen people start joint ventures, programs of their own and all sorts of good stuff, just through making chat friends. It is REALLY worth trying for yourself.

Sure, carry on with whatever promotional methods you are using right now, but try chatting with others on a personal level, find out what`s working for them and what`s not. You`ll be surprised by the results. I, personally, have found that I get much better results via chats than any other form of free advertising I`ve tried, and believe me, I`ve tried tons in my almost 4 years online.

Just remember to always be polite, never hype. Be honest, and most of all: Be Yourself. But anyway, in case you DO want to try your hand at chat, here`s a quick crash-course in chat terminology:

Abbreviation --------- Meaning

AFK ----- Away from keyboard
ASAP ----- As soon as possible
A/S/L? ----- Age/sex/location?
BBIAB ----- Be back in a bit
BBL ----- Be back later
BBN ----- Bye bye now
BBS ----- Be back soon
B/F ----- Boy friend
BRB ----- Be right back
BTW ----- By the way
CU ----- See you
C U L8ER ----- See you later
CYA ----- See ya
FAQ ----- Frequently-ask question(s)
FYI ----- For your information
G/F ----- Girlfriend
GGP ----- Gotta go pee
GL ----- Good luck
GMTA ----- Great minds think alike
H&K ----- Hug and kiss
IC ----- I see
IM ----- Immediate message
IMHO ----- In my humble opinion
IMO ----- In my opinion
JK ----- Just kidding
JTLYK ----- Just to let you know
KISS ----- Keep it simple stupid
L8R ----- Later
L8R G8R ----- Later gator
LMAO ----- Laughing my a** off
LOL ----- Laughing out loud
MorF ----- Male or female
NP or N/P ----- No problem
OIC ----- Oh, I see
OMG ----- Oh my God
PM ----- Private message
::POOF:: ----- Goodbye (leaving the room)
QT ----- Cutie
ROFL ----- Rolling on floor laughing
ROFLMAO ----- Rolling on the floor laughing my a** off
ROFLMBO ----- Rolling on floor laughing my butt off
RPG ----- Role-playing games
S^ S'up - ----- what's up
SUP ----- What's up
TANSTAAFL ----- There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
TGIF ----- Thank God it's Friday
THX ----- Thanks
TTFN ----- Ta-Ta for now
TTYL ----- Talk to you later
TY ----- Thank you
WB ----- Welcome back
WTG ----- Way to go!
YW ----- You're welcome

And there you have it, tons of chat abbreviations to get you started. It`s fun once you know how.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Where-Do-YOU-Find-Your-Contacts?&id=2341

Build Downlines, Make Money

Build Downlines, Make Money
By Anna-Marie Stewart

How many programs have you joined and promoted, only to end up with next to no referrals? Why does this happen?

Let's take a look at some of the choices you have when a referral signs
up under you. Do you:

- contact that person, offering your help? - not bother to email them, and assume they know what to do? - email them immediately with your latest program offer?

If you don't know what to do, you're not alone.

I`ve found that with multi-level referral programs, no matter which one it may be, it`s always better to start out by trying to get your first 3 referrals, then working with THEM to get THEIR first 3, and also teaching them to do the same. This is known in some circles as duplication.

It`s always hard to start building downlines, but go for it - be helpful. Helping your referrals means that you are also ultimately helping yourself.

Depth vs. Width

What does that mean? Most programs have multiple referral levels, building your first level only, means you`re building wide, building down through the levels means your building deep

Work on the depth, rather than the width of your downline to begin with. After that "leg" of your downline is working merrily away without too much intervention from you, start on another leg, doing the exact same thing.

Golden Rules

Never ever use hype when you`re promoting any programs Believe me, it doesn't work in reality. People get disappointed if they don`t get what they`ve been promised within the timeframe it`s been promised.

Be honest in your promotional efforts. Tell people what`s worked, and what hasn`t worked for you. If people ask how much you`ve made over how long a period of time, tell them. Let them know that online marketing is NOT the easiest thing on earth.

Let`s face it, if you want to make good money with online marketing, you
HAVE to treat it as a business, not as a hobby, and yes, it DOES demand a
lot of hard work and self-discipline. But taking all these things
into consideration, you'll be able to work your butt off and have
something to show for it :)

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admin@annamarketing.com subject=subscribe -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This article is available for reprint in your opt-in ezine, web site or ebook. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and the RESOURCE BOX MUST be included. (c) 2002 - 2004 AnnaMarketing.com [http://annamarketing.com]. All Rights Reserved

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Build-Downlines,-Make-Money&id=2339

Building Downlines and Keeping Them

Building Downlines and Keeping Them
By Anna-Marie Stewart

You know the scenario: You join some program, work your butt off to promote it, to get signups, and you feel like you`re hitting a brick wall. After a few months, you give up, and try something else, or give up completely.

Know what`s missing? Active, helpful sponsors/uplines. Have you ever tried mailing your upline, only to get NO response? It`s a horrible feeling. Makes you think "Why should I bother trying to help this guy make some money??"

Been in this situation? Or maybe you`re guilty of being this type of sponsor? Either way, you need to read this:

I try to actively help anybody who signs up under me, no matter what. I always have done, and in 4 years of marketing, I still have mostly the same loyal people following me into any program I show them.

Doesn`t matter if the program turns out to be a flop, or the best thing on earth. Those people are with me all the way, and they are fantastic!

I try to promote their pages/programs, pass on signups to them etc. and at the risk of sounding big-headed: They love me for it! This is why, even if a program flops, they follow me on to the next one, because they KNOW I`ll help as much as I can.

Mail your upline if you need help with anything, let them know you`re struggling. Ask for what you want. Believe me, it works wonders, and people aren`t mind readers.

If you don`t ASK for help, most will assume that you`re doing just fine. If you don`t get any support from your sponsor, go higher, even as high as the program owner if you have to.

I am pseudo-blonde with techie stuff, asked a friend to help with building my ezine (he`s a programmer) and VOILA! website all built. So I am living proof: It DOES help to ask.

Do NOT be a "dead" sponsor. Keep in touch with your signups regularly. Offer your help in any way you can, offer to exchange hints, tips and info with them.

Search the net for some good e-books that may be helpful to them, and pass them on. Free ones are best for this purpose. (Just make sure you read the books yourself first, so you know they`re not rubbish)

Got some software you use, that you find helpful? Pass it on to those below you. Anything that you`ve ever found helpful, pass on. Just remember to never, ever, ever spam your downlines with other stuff.

Send a mail maybe twice per month, offering your help. Make sure you give them multiple ways of contacting you, email, msn, yahoo messenger just to name a few, and ALWAYS make time for them.

If somebody asks you a question you can`t answer, you know what to do, right? Ask YOUR upline, don`t allow them to be slackers. After all, they want YOU to help THEM make some money too, so ask them to help you if you need it!

Bottom line: Never be afraid to ask for, or offer to, help. Works for me, and most of the people in my downlines now practice the same. Now get out there and help each other, it WILL pay off :)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-Resource Box-=-=-=--=-=-=-=- Avoid scams, shams and spam with Not Just Another Ezine! Full of free downloads, ebooks and information to maximize your time online. Subscribe free! [http://annamarketing.com/MC][http://annamarketing.com]

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Building-Downlines-and-Keeping-Them&id=2343

How "Available" are You?

How "Available" are You?
By Anna-Marie Stewart

The internet can be pretty scary at times. Do you realise how easy it is to access your personal information? Your phone number, name, address? Even get driving instructions on how to get to your location (if you`re in the USA)??

Did you know that www.google.com works as a telephone directory?? If you`re in the USA, anybody can find you through their search engine. If you`ve got an unlisted number, this won`t apply to you:

Go type your phone number into the search box in this format 555 444 1212 (no dashes or anything). It`ll bring up your full name and address, and it`ll give you 2 map links. The yahoo map will even give driving instructions on how to get to where you`re at!!

There should be a telephone icon next to your listing. If you don`t want to be listed, click on that and request to be removed from the service.

This one`s for USA only, too: Free Internet Access to Public Records

Listed are over 800 state, county, city and federal (court) URL's where you can access public record information for free. CrimeScreen.com

Don`t think you`re outta the woods just because you don`t live in the United States. There are worldwide lists too.
Here`s an example: www.hansaprint.fi [http://www.hansaprint.fi/eypeng.html]
This one`s a combination of worldwide yellow and white pages. A lot of them will link you to maps, where anybody can see your location.

Ok, here`s another one, this one is reliant on people giving accurate info though. Do you own your own registered domain? go do a "WhoIs" here:
netsolutions.com
Brings up a lot of info, huh?

So how can you stop your personal information from getting broadcast on the web? Maybe you can`t, totally, but there are a few guidelines, that if followed, will make you less "available"

Make sure your phone number is UNLISTED! A lot of online phonebooks are based on a database used by the telephone company. Which in turn leads to your address.

Use a web based email program instead of the one provided by your ISP. Your ISP provided email address should only be given to your most trusted friends and family. This is because your ISP has your address, and possibly your banking information if your are allowing them to bill you automatically.

Get some software to make your websurfing anonymous:
www.anonymizer.com
www.articsoft.com/
www.inetprivacy.com/
anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/

Use a firewall program if you aren't behind one already. That way the information on your computer can't be accessed by another online computer without you being prompted for permission. This site contains an excellent list of many different personal firewall programs: castor.tsl.state.tx.us [http://castor.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/security/firewalls.html]

So what if your information`s already out there? What can you do about it? Well it`s a long, hard job, but it CAN be done, by actually using search engines to find your personal information, and then using the remove features supplied by each particular website or writing the webmaster and requesting that he remove the info.

There you have it, you`re "available" but you don`t HAVE to be unless you want to.

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Why Are You Not Making Money On The Internet?

Why Are You Not Making Money On The Internet?
By Shawn Casey

Why are you not making money on the Internet? For many of you, the answer is simple - you have not gotten started!
One of the questions I received via email this week posed this question: I keep thinking that I'm ready to launch my website, but then I find out that there's more to learn. Should I wait until I learn it all before I start my website?
No. No. No. For several reasons . . .
First, If you have your own small home business idea to make money online, or want to have your own online business, you want to get yourself set up quickly. If you want to have your "Business Store Front" up on the web now, think "Now," not "Detail, detail, detail, detail, etc." There will be plenty of time for details later.
The reason I say this is most of you are thinking detail, detail, detail, instead of yelling "Go" and charging forward. Most of you already know enough and will learn along the way the other things you need to know. Think about getting out of your shell and not being intimidated, expand your horizons and have the confidence in yourself you deserve to have.
Second, learning should be an endless process. We're never going to learn everything. We're especially never going to learn everything about the Internet because it's growing and changing too rapidly.
Third, as much as you can try to learn things before you start a business, most of your learning will only occur through the process of starting and running the business.
As children, we can observe adults walking and talking. But, that's not the same as us doing those things. Even when we know what to do, walking and talking are skills that must be practiced as well as learned. The same learning process applies to business.
Fourth, you simply have to get started moving forward. You have to get in the game.
Some of you may have seen the statistic that proves "99% of the time you don't swing the bat at the baseball, you don't hit it!" What's the other 1%? Well . . . sometimes, the ball does hit the bat, but that's not going to get you a hit.
Fifth, you have to start making mistakes. They're important. You're going to make them anyway so don't worry about it. But, you have make them to get them out of the way. How important are mistakes?
Thomas Edison stated that each failure to produce the desired result (i.e., the light bulb) simply moved him one more step closer to finding the solution.
Tom Watson (founder of IBM) was asked by an employee how the employee could prosper in the company. Tom's short reply was "Make your mistakes faster!"
Sixth, but still important, you also want to have momentum and keep your enthusiasm as you get your own home business off the planning board and up on the Internet. Getting to caught up in a lot of little details in the very beginning can really bog you down, sap your energy, and start to really crush your spirit and enthusiasm.
Remember also that your primary goal is to make money from home on the Internet. You're goal is not to learn everything there is to know, you want to be profitable baby, 'cause that what it's all about!
Use your intelligence of course, and learn all you can. But remember your goal, so budget your time to make money, don't spend all your time learning. And keep in mind that most people get way too caught up in the details. You'll get the details later on as you go. Just yell "Go."
Lastly, wouldn't you rather make some money on the way AND get charged up seeing your home business idea become a reality?
So, stop waiting. Start swinging at the ball. You'll miss sometimes. But, sooner or later, you'll hit one out of the park!
Yours in success,
Shawn M. Casey

Internet Millionaire Shawn Casey's "Mining Gold On the Internet" is one of the best selling Internet books with over 85,000 copies sold. In "Mining Gold", Shawn reveals the same step-by-step strategies he uses to create millions in Internet sales => [http://www.ipcgold.com/ad/100/CD3839]  Benefit from Shawn's 7 years of Internet experience and learn from someone who has actually made millions online.

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Why You're Not Making Money Online...

Why You're Not Making Money Online...
By Shawn Casey

(Pssst... You Have To Take Action!)

I just completed teaching an intensive 3 day Internet workshop. Every attendee spent 3 days on the edge of his or her seat as we delved into the nuts and bolts of Internet marketing and sales as they discovered how to turn a small website into an unstoppable small business money machine.
And despite spending thousands of dollars to participate in this workshop, they share the same primary problems with most people who want to make money online, but are not.
Problem No. 1 - They are making things way too complicated. While I create millions of dollars in online revenue, most of what I do is basic stuff. I just do a lot of it.
Problem No. 2 - They are investing their time in creating complex websites and convoluted sales processes. That's not where the money is made for beginners. You can also get confused and overwhelmed as there are so many business opportunities and ideas out there.
Let's go straight to the bottom line. Here's what you should focus on to make money online as soon as humanly possible:
First - Pick a product. Any product. Yours. Mine. I don't care.
Second - If needed, set up your website so you're ready to collect money. Keep it simple. Don't be confusing. Don't try to be Wal-Mart. They have everything. You want to be focused on just this one item.
Third - Advertise. Promote. Market. Do it relentlessly. Okay, that actually sounds like work. It is. But, for very high pay ... in the bracket of former Enron execs. Remember, you're running YOUR OWN business from home
Of course, you can't do this relentlessly unless you actually run the first ad. A winning streak starts with the first win. An advertising campaign starts with the first ad.
And let me tell you something. People ask me, "How did I get where I am today?" "What did I do to get so big on the Internet?"
As I've said repeatedly. Over and over again. Ad nausea. Making money on the Internet is not that hard. Most of what I do is actually not that unique. But, what I do that's different from the average Joe is that I do a lot of it. When I find something that works for me, I immediately go into action to maximize my revenue.
My secret - and I wouldn't call it a secret that - is that I am relentless.
I market relentlessly. Constantly. Consistently. Day and night. Night and day. Often. Always. That's the simple difference.
There are a lot of smart Internet marketers out there. Many of them are no doubt much smarter than me. But, I make a lot more money. Why? Because I'm relentless.
What's the difference between being smart and relentless?
I know a lot of very smart - and well-educated - poor people. And, I know a lot of millionaires who don't look all that smart. I have a friend who's a high school dropout. His public company (he owns way than more half) will gross over 60 million this year and net 10 or 12 million. He's relentless. Oh, yeah ... he's also very rich.
I know a bunch of people who are not Internet experts. But, they pull in $10,000 to $20,000 per month online. They figured out the real secret of how to make money online...
You don't have to be an expert. You don't have to be smart.
You have to take action. Then, be relentless!
Yours in success,
Shawn M. Casey, J.D.

Internet Millionaire Shawn Casey's "Mining Gold On the Internet" is one of the best selling Internet books with over 85,000 copies sold. In "Mining Gold", Shawn reveals the same step-by-step strategies he uses to create millions in Internet sales => [http://www.ipcgold.com/ad/100/CD3839] Benefit from Shawn's 7 years of Internet experience and learn from someone who has actually made millions online.

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The Power Of Thinking Small Online

The Power Of Thinking Small Online
By Patric Chan

Copyright 2004 Patric Chan

I know what you're thinking.

There must be a typo error, because everyone's
talking about the power of thinking big online.

Obviously, thinking big is good. But do not
under estimate the power of thinking small.

Here's what I mean:

If you want to make $100,000.00 in a year online,
is it easier to achieve it from one source of
income, or 10 online source of incomes that can
give you $10,000.00 each a year?

The answer? Both are correct. But I'd rather take
the second choice by thinking 'small' of creating
10 income streams from the internet to achieve that.

My justification?

It's easier for me to create an income stream that
can generate $10,000.00 a year online for me than
thinking 'big' to create ONE income stream that
generates $100,000.00.

If I can create ONE income stream easily, what's
stopping me from creating another 9 similar income
streams from the internet to make $100,000.00 a year?

You might disagree with me because you probably
say that staying focused on one income stream is
easier. That's fair and I absolutely agree.

But, I'll still choose to create 10 income streams
because my risk of failure is 10 times less.

Assuming I choose the first choice to make
$100,000.00 using ONE income stream.

What happens if I fail? Simple. I lose everything
in that one year.

But if I create 10 income streams, I can afford to
fail as much as 50% of my income streams and yet,
I'll achieve 50% of success. Sounds ironic, yes?

Don't get it wrong. I'm not preaching to be negative
of preparing to fail, but I'm preaching reality on how
to minimize risk to be successful.

Taking small steps is always easier than taking
big steps.

That's why, when I wrote my book for self
improvement, 'How To Make More Money Easily',
it's about thinking small, not thinking big.

It's not for those who want to m.ake millions.

It's about how ordinary people are able to make
an extra income each month easily. If they can make
some extra money from one strategy I teach in my
ebook, they can easily create 5 more income streams.

You can see it at:

http://www.makemoremoneylessons.com

After reading this article, please continue to think BIG.

BUT, don't forget to think small as well when you
want to achieve success.

All the best.

To your success,

Patric 'High-Speed Marketing' Chan.

============================================

Important note to webmasters or editors:

If you wish to publish this article with your affiliate url
for 70% affiliate commission to my latest book, please
email me at patric@mymarketingtactics.com for details.

=============================================

Patric works with world class internet marketing gurus to build successful online businesses. Discover more insider secrets and the exact proven strategies to make money online:

http://www.automateinternetmarketing.com

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Profiting from Terrible Keyword Supply and Demand Ratios

Profiting from Terrible Keyword Supply and Demand Ratios
By Brian Kindsvater

One of the recent fads is to search for keywords and niches based on an R/S Ratio. The 'R' is the number of websites found with that keyword as reported by a search engine search (the supply), and the 'S' is the number of searches on that keyword (the demand).

Here is How This Works

In fantasy land the number of searches would be 100,000 and the number of websites would be 1 (your website), resulting in an R/S ratio of .00001.

In reality, the number of found websites is about 1,000,000 and the number of searches is 10,000, resulting in an R/S ratio of 100.

Theoretically, the lower the ratio the better, which is why numerous marketers suggest that low R/S ratios be searched for and then targeted. Keywords with high R/S ratios are immediately discarded.

Why the R/S Ratio is Meaningless

Theoretically, the ratio works, but now let us get back to the real world. If you are ignoring keywords or niches with high ratios you are missing highly profitable markets.

The number of websites reported as the 'supply' is usually meaningless. This is why the ratio does not work if it is based on the number of computer generated results. So Google says it found 10,000,000 other websites with your keyword. Hope is not lost. You are not competing against 10 million websites. Hardly any of the websites will have anything to do with your target market.

Compare the following:

Example 1

Search results - 100,000
Searches - 10,000
R/S Ratio - 10

Example 2

Search results - 5,000,000
Searches - 100,000
R/S Ratio - 50

Which example is potentially more profitable?

You have no way of knowing! If you automatically fail to consider Example 2 in your marketing efforts because it has a much higher ratio you may have made the wrong decision and discarded 100,000 potential customers.

You need to actually review the websites listed in the search results to see what value they hold. This is important. The 'supply' side of the equation that needs to be evaluated is not the number of websites containing your keyword, but the number of websites that are actual competitors.

If the top websites are giving away your information for free, like government sites, then maybe it is time to find a different keyword to target.

But more likely you will see only a few, or maybe a few dozen websites that actually provide meaningful content or products that compete against you. Instead of a theoretical 5,000,000 websites, in reality there may only be 50 - or less.

The R/S ratio analysis is also primarily only important for natural search engine results. Through pay-per-click programs you can jump your website to the top of the search engine results page, and your competition for PPC keywords will be even less. Sometimes it will be nonexistent.

You also need to remember that a high R/S ratio in Google may not be high in Yahoo, 7Search, or another search engine. Similarly, keywords for which bidding competition is fierce on Google may be wide-open in Overture.

As a result, do not be quick to disregard an entire keyword market due to your initial evaluation that the keyword has a terrible supply and demand ratio. Dig a little. Review the actual search engine results and act as a potential customer to better assess what the real competition is. Compare different search engines, and evaluate different PPC programs. This extra effort will often unveil profitable markets that your competitors, using a flawed analysis, will neglect.

Copyright 2004 Brian Kindsvater

Brian Kindsvater has been marketing online since 1994. Brian shares research about niche products, free and useful marketing resources, and valuable articles at the exclusive membership site http://nichex.com. Brian Kindsvater's legal articles can be found at http://lawzilla.com

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