What do most website owners want for their online business?
1. Increase sales
2. Make more money
3. Attract more customers
You can achieve these goals. How? By constantly testing. For example: Do you have a compelling benefit headline on your web site? If not, chances are your website will not make a lot of money.
So it's to your advantage to test different headlines. By changing headlines, you can increase your sales dramatically.
What website owners don't understand is this: If you don't get visitors attention, they will leave your site. And you lose sales to competition.
Remember web surfers have very short attention spans. There are many websites that use no headlines. Big mistake. It's like scanning a newspaper with no headlines. Why should they buy from you?
There are about 350 million web sites on the Internet. If you want to make money, you have to get their attention.
Your sales message should be loaded with benefits and power words. Before adding your sales message, you should make a list of what's in it for your customers. Or what's in it for me list. If you are selling a product or a service, this is not about you. It's for the buyer. Tell them why they should buy from you.
Many Internet marketers disagree with using a sales message. They'll tell you it's different on the Internet. Don't use a compelling sales message. Just use information. If you're not selling anything, that's great. Listen, sales is not a dirty word. What your sales message should do is help your buyer rationalize, why they have to have it. Help them make the decision to buy.
Some people have a negative image of sales people. But you know, the economy would be in sad shape without someone to help them make a decision. To answer questions. Help them understand the product. Give great service, and handle problems.
The sad truth is many Internet marketers don't understand the selling process. It's just their perception of the person selling the product. All people in sales are slick talkers. That's not always true. Professionals care about their buyers, and want repeat business.
The sales message on your website is your salesperson. If that message is weak in the selling process, so will your sales. You have to ask for the order or you won't get it.
Do you have testimonials, bonuses, and a guarantee in your website sales message?
The testimonials are creditability builders. And should be placed in areas where they help make your sales points.
Are free bonuses or gifts offered as an incentive to buy? This is a must!! You should offer 1-5 bonus gifts for free. Watch your sales increase. If you offer no bonus gifts, you are hurting your web business.
You must also offer a guarantee that removes the risk. This will help eliminate buyer fear. If the guarantee says you can return it in 30 days and receive a full refund no questions asked, why wouldn't they take a chance?
The close or call to action must create a sense of urgency to buy now. Such as: price good for 10 days only. Or this is your last chance to buy, almost out of stock.
If you'll add these selling techniques to your web site. Test the ones that work best. You'll see your sales increase dramatically.
Copyright 2006 Steven Gower
About The Author
Steven Gower is a direct response copywriter for websites.
http://www.copywritersinc.com
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Small Business Websites: The Beginning of Something Big
Nowadays people check on the internet first when they want to find a product or a service. This popularity has made the Internet the biggest market wherein you can find a product or a service to cater to your needs. Many enterprising people have discovered this and have started their own business or have expanded their businesses to include an Internet division.
If you have a business then you need to have a website. It’s important that you learn enough about how the internet works, and how your business will benefit from having a website. There are lots of potential customers and profits in the internet and you need to have a small business website so that you can join the game.
This website shall serve as your virtual store and you have to do lots of things to make your website easy to find in search engines. With that they can find you and can look at the things that you can offer anytime of the day or even night whatever they prefer.
A small business website can provide an attractive and interesting electronic brochure. Good content attracts visitors and makes it easier to promote the website, but doesn't necessarily push products. It gives readers a reason to visit the site, giving you a chance to do business with them. Your content mix needs to be unique and well-targeted at your audience's interests.
Everything on your website needs to be accurate and written for an international audience. Your website success depends on what it has to say and how it says it, so it's important that you articulate your goals to your website designers to make sure that they understand not just what you're putting on your website, but what you want to achieve. Having these all done they can now already see if they like the look of your business before directly contacting you.
You'll read all sorts of "small business" data, but be careful to understand what it covers. Sometimes the report is more interested in businesses that aren't huge, but still purchase hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of products and services, and have dozens or hundreds of employees. These reports probably exclude many small businesses. Other reports use a more inclusive definition of a business. When mixing information from different reports, be careful to look at the data to see how it was gathered, how it is segmented, and what it covers.
Small business websites specialize in writing and developing accessible websites for other small businesses, organizations, charities and individuals. Nobody knows your business better than you do. If you don't tell your website designers how your website will improve your business, it will only be profitable by accident.
Many people assert that all small businesses will become ebusinesses. Doing most of their selling, communicating, and computing on the internet. They see a huge, almost untouched market bursting forth right now.
Others don’t see wide acceptance of the internet by small business, or view the notoriously fragmented nature of this market and reluctance to spend, as reasons why there’s no money to be made here. It is believed that these views are both wrong.
A big percentage of small businesses are obviously willing and able to spend a large amount of money just to be able to use the internet as part of their relationship with customers (and will benefit from such use), but only for the right purposes, such as basic informational web site.
Basic web sites are becoming a core part of the marketing mix for many small businesses. The business owners know they need one -- even if they are not exactly sure why. And the cost of basic Internet uses, such as simple web sites, fits well within the marketing budget of most small businesses.
About The Author
Jay Peterson writer, web designer marketer. www.TicTacWebsites.com is the easiest do-it-yourself website builder on the web No programming or design skill required. Get your small business online in just 5 minutes with www.TicTacWebsites.com loaded with 30+ business features.
If you have a business then you need to have a website. It’s important that you learn enough about how the internet works, and how your business will benefit from having a website. There are lots of potential customers and profits in the internet and you need to have a small business website so that you can join the game.
This website shall serve as your virtual store and you have to do lots of things to make your website easy to find in search engines. With that they can find you and can look at the things that you can offer anytime of the day or even night whatever they prefer.
A small business website can provide an attractive and interesting electronic brochure. Good content attracts visitors and makes it easier to promote the website, but doesn't necessarily push products. It gives readers a reason to visit the site, giving you a chance to do business with them. Your content mix needs to be unique and well-targeted at your audience's interests.
Everything on your website needs to be accurate and written for an international audience. Your website success depends on what it has to say and how it says it, so it's important that you articulate your goals to your website designers to make sure that they understand not just what you're putting on your website, but what you want to achieve. Having these all done they can now already see if they like the look of your business before directly contacting you.
You'll read all sorts of "small business" data, but be careful to understand what it covers. Sometimes the report is more interested in businesses that aren't huge, but still purchase hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars of products and services, and have dozens or hundreds of employees. These reports probably exclude many small businesses. Other reports use a more inclusive definition of a business. When mixing information from different reports, be careful to look at the data to see how it was gathered, how it is segmented, and what it covers.
Small business websites specialize in writing and developing accessible websites for other small businesses, organizations, charities and individuals. Nobody knows your business better than you do. If you don't tell your website designers how your website will improve your business, it will only be profitable by accident.
Many people assert that all small businesses will become ebusinesses. Doing most of their selling, communicating, and computing on the internet. They see a huge, almost untouched market bursting forth right now.
Others don’t see wide acceptance of the internet by small business, or view the notoriously fragmented nature of this market and reluctance to spend, as reasons why there’s no money to be made here. It is believed that these views are both wrong.
A big percentage of small businesses are obviously willing and able to spend a large amount of money just to be able to use the internet as part of their relationship with customers (and will benefit from such use), but only for the right purposes, such as basic informational web site.
Basic web sites are becoming a core part of the marketing mix for many small businesses. The business owners know they need one -- even if they are not exactly sure why. And the cost of basic Internet uses, such as simple web sites, fits well within the marketing budget of most small businesses.
About The Author
Jay Peterson writer, web designer marketer. www.TicTacWebsites.com is the easiest do-it-yourself website builder on the web No programming or design skill required. Get your small business online in just 5 minutes with www.TicTacWebsites.com loaded with 30+ business features.
5 Biggest Mistakes Made By Business Owners Getting A Website
It’s amazing how many business owners make each of the mistakes listed below. Making these mistakes could cost a company thousands of dollars initially, and take away from tens of thousands of potential dollars they should be earning monthly from their website.
1. Get their website done too early.
2. Pay way too much or too little for their website.
3. Focus on making it too pretty and flashy.
4. Do not get any traffic to their website.
5. Never make any money off their website.
The biggest mistake most businesses owners make is getting their website done too early. A smart business owner will first research their target audience in their specific Internet market, and only then build their website around their research.
A business owner needs to get training on how to find a target web audience in a specific niche market. They need to determine which keywords their website needs to be designed around, in order to bring in customers from search engines and other sources. A huge mistake made by business owners is they get their website formed around very broad keywords which have too much competition.
Rushing web design without proper planning could also very well hurt your wallet. Most web development companies quote very high prices on web and graphic design, and most business owners make the mistake of going with those companies. They charge for flashy features that will never bring in traffic and will never make the website any money.
You may also get a very low quote from an offshore company, but beware - there are many problems with offshore designers: their English isn’t great, you can’t reach them on the phone, the time-zone difference becomes a huge problem – while you’re awake they are sleeping, payment is a problem because you have to wire them money, trust and legal issues can be a huge mess, their marketing knowledge is very limited to their country because they have no knowledge of the marketing techniques and economics of your country.
The key, is to find a web design company that doesn’t spend too much or any money on advertising. This way, they can keep their costs down because they don’t have one of the biggest expenses in the industry. A web design company can be extremely successful just through word of mouth. Now they may be hard to find because they don’t actually advertise, but if you ask your friends and co-workers they may have someone great they can refer.
Once you’ve done your keyword and market research, and found the right design company, you have to know what to ask for. One of the biggest mistakes a business owner makes is they ask and pay for a website that is all looks and no sales, no marketing. They spend thousands of dollars on a 'pretty' website full of flashy effects which brings in $0 in revenue. You have to ask yourself, what good is a flashy website when no one comes to it?
Sure major companies spend a lot of money on making their website extravagant, flashy, and interactive, but they already have traffic because of their name, that’s called branding. The last thing a smart business owner would do is copy the idea of having an expensive flashy website like those of Fortune 500 companies. A smart business owner understands that for a website to sell it's main focus needs to be copywriting and marketing, and will put design second. You will rarely find a design company that tells you to put content, copywriting, and marketing AHEAD of the look, layout, and design. You must understand that for a company to be successful on the Internet, that company must direct their focus on marketing their website and worry about how it looks last.
By avoiding the 5 mistakes discussed above, a business owner may actually be very successful on the web. If one does not follow all the rules it could not only hurt their wallet, but their potential to succeed. If you want to be successful in the online game, you have to play your cards right. With proper research, planning, and copywriting, a business owner will be able to dominate their niche market and grow their online business which has unlimited potential.
About The Author
Ilya Pozin has been studying Internet marketing for over 7 years. He has taken many businesses into the successful arena of the online world. He currently runs a web design, development and marketing company that specializes in building websites that sell. You can can get more great tips, information, and free training at http://www.ciplex.com.
1. Get their website done too early.
2. Pay way too much or too little for their website.
3. Focus on making it too pretty and flashy.
4. Do not get any traffic to their website.
5. Never make any money off their website.
The biggest mistake most businesses owners make is getting their website done too early. A smart business owner will first research their target audience in their specific Internet market, and only then build their website around their research.
A business owner needs to get training on how to find a target web audience in a specific niche market. They need to determine which keywords their website needs to be designed around, in order to bring in customers from search engines and other sources. A huge mistake made by business owners is they get their website formed around very broad keywords which have too much competition.
Rushing web design without proper planning could also very well hurt your wallet. Most web development companies quote very high prices on web and graphic design, and most business owners make the mistake of going with those companies. They charge for flashy features that will never bring in traffic and will never make the website any money.
You may also get a very low quote from an offshore company, but beware - there are many problems with offshore designers: their English isn’t great, you can’t reach them on the phone, the time-zone difference becomes a huge problem – while you’re awake they are sleeping, payment is a problem because you have to wire them money, trust and legal issues can be a huge mess, their marketing knowledge is very limited to their country because they have no knowledge of the marketing techniques and economics of your country.
The key, is to find a web design company that doesn’t spend too much or any money on advertising. This way, they can keep their costs down because they don’t have one of the biggest expenses in the industry. A web design company can be extremely successful just through word of mouth. Now they may be hard to find because they don’t actually advertise, but if you ask your friends and co-workers they may have someone great they can refer.
Once you’ve done your keyword and market research, and found the right design company, you have to know what to ask for. One of the biggest mistakes a business owner makes is they ask and pay for a website that is all looks and no sales, no marketing. They spend thousands of dollars on a 'pretty' website full of flashy effects which brings in $0 in revenue. You have to ask yourself, what good is a flashy website when no one comes to it?
Sure major companies spend a lot of money on making their website extravagant, flashy, and interactive, but they already have traffic because of their name, that’s called branding. The last thing a smart business owner would do is copy the idea of having an expensive flashy website like those of Fortune 500 companies. A smart business owner understands that for a website to sell it's main focus needs to be copywriting and marketing, and will put design second. You will rarely find a design company that tells you to put content, copywriting, and marketing AHEAD of the look, layout, and design. You must understand that for a company to be successful on the Internet, that company must direct their focus on marketing their website and worry about how it looks last.
By avoiding the 5 mistakes discussed above, a business owner may actually be very successful on the web. If one does not follow all the rules it could not only hurt their wallet, but their potential to succeed. If you want to be successful in the online game, you have to play your cards right. With proper research, planning, and copywriting, a business owner will be able to dominate their niche market and grow their online business which has unlimited potential.
About The Author
Ilya Pozin has been studying Internet marketing for over 7 years. He has taken many businesses into the successful arena of the online world. He currently runs a web design, development and marketing company that specializes in building websites that sell. You can can get more great tips, information, and free training at http://www.ciplex.com.
Grow Your Internet Business And Increase Web Site Traffic By Writing Articles
If you're a writer or have an internet business, I've got good news and better news and best news. If you are or wish to be a writer and have, or wish you had, an internet business, it's all best!
There is a new type of advertising for internet businesses these days and it is very effective. Even better, it is easy, and best, it is free!
Many people roaming the internet MAY be searching for your business, MIGHT find it, and PERHAPS might go through your web site to make a purchase.
However, it's a big internet business ocean, and chances are, you, like me, are a small frog in this big pond.
Don't get me wrong, I make a comfortable income in six figures from my internet business, but I am NOT Ford, Verizon, or even Jimmy Dean Sausage. Those are big players, and you and I cannot effectively compete against them head to head on a daily basis. If I advertise my brand of sausage, and someone searches for sausage, they will probably wind up at Jimmy Dean's web site, and will buy Jimmy Dean's sausage!
If, on the other hand, someone is trying to find information on healthy breakfast foods or foods that can be used in a weight loss program, and I just happen to be able to provide that information, AND I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A LINK (NO PUN INTENDED) TO MY BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, I might just have made a sale.
That's where this new type of advertising has come in.
At first, the internet seemed to be a vast market with everybody trying to sell things. Over time, another picture has emerged. People are roaming the internet daily in search of information! He or she who can provide the information is going to rise in the respect of the information seeker, and is going to have the opportunity to introduce his or her product or service to the information seeker. And, as is common on the internet today, the information seeker is usually not looking for an encyclopedic article on all aspects of a topic. They want one or two specific pieces of information or answers to certain questions they may have.
Additionally, search engine businesses have realized this, and many of the most effective search engines are giving higher priority to web sites and pages which provide the informational content their customers are seeking.
This new, free, effective advertising technique I mentioned above is based on this. You provide the information people are seeking in small simple articles, and include information about your product either within the body of the article or in an informational tag of some sort. The search engines are happy to find the information you provide and follow links from the informational site back to your internet business web site, thus increasing your visibility and ability to attract traffic.
So far, so good, but you are still the small internet business in the huge pond full of leviathan internet businesses. What you do is get a lot of other fishes to help spread your message across the internet pond.
There is on the internet a huge array of web sites which specialize in accepting articles from authors who have written these small informational or entertaining articles. Once accepted, these articles are posted on their web sites for their visitors to view. Many of these are high traffic web sites and you have the chance of having your article viewed by many visitors. If the web site where you post your article is visited by a search engine, and many have very high rankings with major search engines, your article will eventually be indexed by the search engine and probably the web site you have linked to as well.
Additionally, and this may be the best part, this site where you have posted your article will be visited by thousands of people looking for content to include on their web sites or in their e-zines. They are not looking for Herman Melville or Alexandre Dumas, they are looking for short informational articles which provide valid information to their web site visitors or readers. If your article fits their needs, some of them will use it, distributing your article...AND LINKS...across the internet ocean.
So how hard is it to write one of these articles?
I just did.
It includes practical information on a subject of interest to a great many people. It is on a subject I know something about, but, even had I only known a little bit, fifteen minutes research on the internet would have provided the information I needed. It took me less than an hour to complete (not counting stopping to play with the cats, Big Foot and Amber, and letting Diamond, the dog, outside). Now, I am going to spend a few minutes at EzineArticles.com, SubmitYourArticle.com, the Warrior Forum, and at one of my own internet business web sites where I post many of my articles, and at my internet business blog where I will also post this article. Within a few days, it will be on a few web sites, following the process I have outlined, and working for me twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year.
Guess I'll go have breakfast now. Love my internet business!
You have a great day.
Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
About The Author
Donovan Baldwin is retired from the military after 21 years on duty. A graduate of the University of West Florida, 1973, he now makes his living online with his own internet business. Read more articles at http://donovanbaldwin.blogspot.com, http://real-estate-investing-business.blogspot.com, or http://nodiet4me.blogspot.com.
There is a new type of advertising for internet businesses these days and it is very effective. Even better, it is easy, and best, it is free!
Many people roaming the internet MAY be searching for your business, MIGHT find it, and PERHAPS might go through your web site to make a purchase.
However, it's a big internet business ocean, and chances are, you, like me, are a small frog in this big pond.
Don't get me wrong, I make a comfortable income in six figures from my internet business, but I am NOT Ford, Verizon, or even Jimmy Dean Sausage. Those are big players, and you and I cannot effectively compete against them head to head on a daily basis. If I advertise my brand of sausage, and someone searches for sausage, they will probably wind up at Jimmy Dean's web site, and will buy Jimmy Dean's sausage!
If, on the other hand, someone is trying to find information on healthy breakfast foods or foods that can be used in a weight loss program, and I just happen to be able to provide that information, AND I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A LINK (NO PUN INTENDED) TO MY BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, I might just have made a sale.
That's where this new type of advertising has come in.
At first, the internet seemed to be a vast market with everybody trying to sell things. Over time, another picture has emerged. People are roaming the internet daily in search of information! He or she who can provide the information is going to rise in the respect of the information seeker, and is going to have the opportunity to introduce his or her product or service to the information seeker. And, as is common on the internet today, the information seeker is usually not looking for an encyclopedic article on all aspects of a topic. They want one or two specific pieces of information or answers to certain questions they may have.
Additionally, search engine businesses have realized this, and many of the most effective search engines are giving higher priority to web sites and pages which provide the informational content their customers are seeking.
This new, free, effective advertising technique I mentioned above is based on this. You provide the information people are seeking in small simple articles, and include information about your product either within the body of the article or in an informational tag of some sort. The search engines are happy to find the information you provide and follow links from the informational site back to your internet business web site, thus increasing your visibility and ability to attract traffic.
So far, so good, but you are still the small internet business in the huge pond full of leviathan internet businesses. What you do is get a lot of other fishes to help spread your message across the internet pond.
There is on the internet a huge array of web sites which specialize in accepting articles from authors who have written these small informational or entertaining articles. Once accepted, these articles are posted on their web sites for their visitors to view. Many of these are high traffic web sites and you have the chance of having your article viewed by many visitors. If the web site where you post your article is visited by a search engine, and many have very high rankings with major search engines, your article will eventually be indexed by the search engine and probably the web site you have linked to as well.
Additionally, and this may be the best part, this site where you have posted your article will be visited by thousands of people looking for content to include on their web sites or in their e-zines. They are not looking for Herman Melville or Alexandre Dumas, they are looking for short informational articles which provide valid information to their web site visitors or readers. If your article fits their needs, some of them will use it, distributing your article...AND LINKS...across the internet ocean.
So how hard is it to write one of these articles?
I just did.
It includes practical information on a subject of interest to a great many people. It is on a subject I know something about, but, even had I only known a little bit, fifteen minutes research on the internet would have provided the information I needed. It took me less than an hour to complete (not counting stopping to play with the cats, Big Foot and Amber, and letting Diamond, the dog, outside). Now, I am going to spend a few minutes at EzineArticles.com, SubmitYourArticle.com, the Warrior Forum, and at one of my own internet business web sites where I post many of my articles, and at my internet business blog where I will also post this article. Within a few days, it will be on a few web sites, following the process I have outlined, and working for me twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year.
Guess I'll go have breakfast now. Love my internet business!
You have a great day.
Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin
About The Author
Donovan Baldwin is retired from the military after 21 years on duty. A graduate of the University of West Florida, 1973, he now makes his living online with his own internet business. Read more articles at http://donovanbaldwin.blogspot.com, http://real-estate-investing-business.blogspot.com, or http://nodiet4me.blogspot.com.
Why Internet Marketing Is Essential For A New Business Website
Marketing is the lifeblood of any business. Marketing builds awareness. Awareness lets potential customers find out about your product or service. Just as with a bricks and mortar business, marketing is essential in order to let people know your business offer exists.
Although the World Wide Web can be thought of as a media channel where prospects will see your copy day after day, the truth is that unless you attract those prospects to your website first then your efforts are in vain.
The term 'World Wide Web' should really have a fourth word, 'Wilderness', because that's where any website begins and stays if no efforts are made to attract visitors.
Any business that builds a store, for example, must make efforts to attract custom in order to succeed. The very same principle applies online and just as in the offline world, the amount of benefits reaped is proportional to the amount of effort put in.
In order to maintain any kind of competitive advantage, sustained efforts must be made with a long term plan in mind.
Compared to traditional offline methods of marketing, one of the distinct advantages of marketing online is the speed at which new marketing strategies can be put to test. For example, a pay per click campaign could be launched and the results analysed all in a single day. Such campaigns can promote the smallest businesses amongst the largest industry relevant websites viewed by thousands of qualified prospects.
One of the greatest Internet marketing fallacies is those services offering automated submission to hundreds of search engines as an effective means of search engine promotion. When 80% of all search engine usage is carried out using the three largest search engines (Google, Yahoo! and MSN), the only others worth being included in are those that are highly relevant and/or localised. This means that automated submission services such as these can offer limited benefit and then only to those websites that don't already appear in a search engine's listings.
The effectiveness of these types of automated and unspecific services quickly becomes diluted when they are made readily available to all.
For an effective Internet marketing that delivers significant and measurable results, there is no substitute for a well-structured, customised approach making the best possible use of the technologies available.
Building a successful Internet business starts with building a website and continues with effective marketing.
About The Author
William Lee is the proprietor of Liverpool based Internet marketing consultancy, Web Star Creations (www.webstarcreations.co.uk) and the administrator of Business Mix, the forum for business networking in Liverpool (www.businessmix.co.uk). RSStoBlog (www.rsstoblogg.com) is an effective tool for syndicating content.
Although the World Wide Web can be thought of as a media channel where prospects will see your copy day after day, the truth is that unless you attract those prospects to your website first then your efforts are in vain.
The term 'World Wide Web' should really have a fourth word, 'Wilderness', because that's where any website begins and stays if no efforts are made to attract visitors.
Any business that builds a store, for example, must make efforts to attract custom in order to succeed. The very same principle applies online and just as in the offline world, the amount of benefits reaped is proportional to the amount of effort put in.
In order to maintain any kind of competitive advantage, sustained efforts must be made with a long term plan in mind.
Compared to traditional offline methods of marketing, one of the distinct advantages of marketing online is the speed at which new marketing strategies can be put to test. For example, a pay per click campaign could be launched and the results analysed all in a single day. Such campaigns can promote the smallest businesses amongst the largest industry relevant websites viewed by thousands of qualified prospects.
One of the greatest Internet marketing fallacies is those services offering automated submission to hundreds of search engines as an effective means of search engine promotion. When 80% of all search engine usage is carried out using the three largest search engines (Google, Yahoo! and MSN), the only others worth being included in are those that are highly relevant and/or localised. This means that automated submission services such as these can offer limited benefit and then only to those websites that don't already appear in a search engine's listings.
The effectiveness of these types of automated and unspecific services quickly becomes diluted when they are made readily available to all.
For an effective Internet marketing that delivers significant and measurable results, there is no substitute for a well-structured, customised approach making the best possible use of the technologies available.
Building a successful Internet business starts with building a website and continues with effective marketing.
About The Author
William Lee is the proprietor of Liverpool based Internet marketing consultancy, Web Star Creations (www.webstarcreations.co.uk) and the administrator of Business Mix, the forum for business networking in Liverpool (www.businessmix.co.uk). RSStoBlog (www.rsstoblogg.com) is an effective tool for syndicating content.
Getting Your Business Online - 5 Tips for a Profitable and Productive Web Presence
Taking a new or existing business to the Internet is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work, patience, and even a little luck to make it work successfully. Here are a few tips to help get you started down the right path:
1. Get the right domain name. - Your domain name is one of the first major factors to consider when you decide to take your business to the web. You want something easy for your customers to remember and find, something sharp, and something that conveys the overall appeal and approach of your business. A good domain name is short, preferably less than 10 or so characters at most, easy to spell, and creates a strong brand image in the minds of your potential customers. Keep in mind that while sites like Monster.com and Google.com etc have great, memorable domain names, names like these are a lot more difficult to brand without substantial market saturation. You will have to work a lot harder to build and maintain your brand if you call your carpentry business "zamopow.com" than if you simply call it "johnscarpentry.com." Both approaches can work, but ultimately it is up to you to decide what is the best approach for your particular company.
2. Get the right web host. - Competition in the web hosting business is fierce. Hosting companies have come to accept razor thin profit margins in order to offer the cheapest service possible and undercut their competitors. It doesn't take much to figure out what happens to quality and service as a result. This may be perfectly ok for the average Joe who wants a website with a few family photos on it, but for a professional and reliable web presence, you will need a professional web hosting provider. There are a variety of things you should expect from your web host to ensure that your website isn't "here today, gone tomorrow." First things first, make sure they have a 99.9% uptime guarantee. 99.9% is the number to shoot for. It CANNOT be 100%, and any service that promises this is taking you for a ride. The reason for this is that servers need maintenance, and they need to be updated from time to time. A 99.9% uptime guarantee from the hosting provider means that your website will not cut out for hours or even days at a time and cost you valuable business. Also very important is the service team of the hosting provider. Do yourself a favor and call or email them BEFORE you even make a purchase. See what they are like. Poke their brains, ask a few questions. See how fast it takes them to respond (for email), and how well they answer the questions asked. Believe me, you don't want to get stuck on the wrong side of the contract with this one.
3. Market to your customers, not the search engines. - I know a lot of you will start to moan and groan about this. Search engine rankings seem to be king in today's excessively competitive online market place. Everyone is gunning for that Top 10 ranking on Google or Yahoo. Companies dish out millions of dollars for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services, and seek to create a robotic website that surfs the tides of the vast ocean of search results. You can do this without freaking out about the minutia of your website. Start producing content! Write informative pieces and include them on your website, start a blog, churn out information that people want to read. Google (plus the rest of the pack) places high value on frequent, unique content production. So as people come to read all this great information you are providing, your ranking with the search engines is increasing, AND your product/service and brand is being marketed. Yes, still optimize for the crawlers, but relax! Produce content, gain a readership. Books upon books can be written on this, but for the sake of brevity I will move on to my next topic.
4. Find a niche. - This ties in with tip #3. It's all about the niche. You need to find a cozy little spot on the web that's just yours. This can be a daunting task, especially for businesses in highly competitive sectors. It can be done, however, for any product or service. Understand the target audience for your product or service, and tailor the entire structure of your web presence to fully engage that audience. Keep a watch on your competition, and keep your company one step ahead of the pack. You don't always have to undercut and bully the competition to get sales, and that's the beauty of niche-based marketing. Stay focused on your audience, and stay focused on what it is that your company does. Quality targeted traffic and leads are key.
5. Design a compelling website. - Let's face it, everybody and their brother thinks they are a web designer. The key to having a successful and compelling website has nothing to do with how many flash animations you have, how many keywords you can string together in a sentence, or how sophisticated your backend is. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer, and design a website that you yourself would love to visit. Make each page a logical progression from one to the next, and organize everything in a clean and precise manner. The customer only knows what you tell him and what you show him, so make this communication as efficient as possible. Keep everything relevant, and don't try to cram the kitchen sink into each page. Space it out, keep it manageable, and keep it engaging.
On a closing note, I hope you learned a little from this article. The web can be a land of ample opportunity and prosperity if you play your cards right. Be patient, and remember that you need to build a solid foundation before you can build the house. The first six months of any website are by far the hardest. In fact, just to get a single sale sometimes seams like an impossible task! Persevere, and success will follow.
Copyright 2006 Joe Stec
About The Author
Article by Joe Stec of Monster Web Online (www.monsterwebonline.com) - Monster Web is one of the premier hosting and web service providers for small and start-up businesses.
1. Get the right domain name. - Your domain name is one of the first major factors to consider when you decide to take your business to the web. You want something easy for your customers to remember and find, something sharp, and something that conveys the overall appeal and approach of your business. A good domain name is short, preferably less than 10 or so characters at most, easy to spell, and creates a strong brand image in the minds of your potential customers. Keep in mind that while sites like Monster.com and Google.com etc have great, memorable domain names, names like these are a lot more difficult to brand without substantial market saturation. You will have to work a lot harder to build and maintain your brand if you call your carpentry business "zamopow.com" than if you simply call it "johnscarpentry.com." Both approaches can work, but ultimately it is up to you to decide what is the best approach for your particular company.
2. Get the right web host. - Competition in the web hosting business is fierce. Hosting companies have come to accept razor thin profit margins in order to offer the cheapest service possible and undercut their competitors. It doesn't take much to figure out what happens to quality and service as a result. This may be perfectly ok for the average Joe who wants a website with a few family photos on it, but for a professional and reliable web presence, you will need a professional web hosting provider. There are a variety of things you should expect from your web host to ensure that your website isn't "here today, gone tomorrow." First things first, make sure they have a 99.9% uptime guarantee. 99.9% is the number to shoot for. It CANNOT be 100%, and any service that promises this is taking you for a ride. The reason for this is that servers need maintenance, and they need to be updated from time to time. A 99.9% uptime guarantee from the hosting provider means that your website will not cut out for hours or even days at a time and cost you valuable business. Also very important is the service team of the hosting provider. Do yourself a favor and call or email them BEFORE you even make a purchase. See what they are like. Poke their brains, ask a few questions. See how fast it takes them to respond (for email), and how well they answer the questions asked. Believe me, you don't want to get stuck on the wrong side of the contract with this one.
3. Market to your customers, not the search engines. - I know a lot of you will start to moan and groan about this. Search engine rankings seem to be king in today's excessively competitive online market place. Everyone is gunning for that Top 10 ranking on Google or Yahoo. Companies dish out millions of dollars for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services, and seek to create a robotic website that surfs the tides of the vast ocean of search results. You can do this without freaking out about the minutia of your website. Start producing content! Write informative pieces and include them on your website, start a blog, churn out information that people want to read. Google (plus the rest of the pack) places high value on frequent, unique content production. So as people come to read all this great information you are providing, your ranking with the search engines is increasing, AND your product/service and brand is being marketed. Yes, still optimize for the crawlers, but relax! Produce content, gain a readership. Books upon books can be written on this, but for the sake of brevity I will move on to my next topic.
4. Find a niche. - This ties in with tip #3. It's all about the niche. You need to find a cozy little spot on the web that's just yours. This can be a daunting task, especially for businesses in highly competitive sectors. It can be done, however, for any product or service. Understand the target audience for your product or service, and tailor the entire structure of your web presence to fully engage that audience. Keep a watch on your competition, and keep your company one step ahead of the pack. You don't always have to undercut and bully the competition to get sales, and that's the beauty of niche-based marketing. Stay focused on your audience, and stay focused on what it is that your company does. Quality targeted traffic and leads are key.
5. Design a compelling website. - Let's face it, everybody and their brother thinks they are a web designer. The key to having a successful and compelling website has nothing to do with how many flash animations you have, how many keywords you can string together in a sentence, or how sophisticated your backend is. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer, and design a website that you yourself would love to visit. Make each page a logical progression from one to the next, and organize everything in a clean and precise manner. The customer only knows what you tell him and what you show him, so make this communication as efficient as possible. Keep everything relevant, and don't try to cram the kitchen sink into each page. Space it out, keep it manageable, and keep it engaging.
On a closing note, I hope you learned a little from this article. The web can be a land of ample opportunity and prosperity if you play your cards right. Be patient, and remember that you need to build a solid foundation before you can build the house. The first six months of any website are by far the hardest. In fact, just to get a single sale sometimes seams like an impossible task! Persevere, and success will follow.
Copyright 2006 Joe Stec
About The Author
Article by Joe Stec of Monster Web Online (www.monsterwebonline.com) - Monster Web is one of the premier hosting and web service providers for small and start-up businesses.
Small Business Web Hosting, How To Choose
The best choice of small business web hosting is not only about a storage space for your content, it has to include a comprehensive tool kit to allow you to build your own web site. It must also include the tools and services You need to maintain a small business web site.
The best web hosting providers give you easy to use web site builders and user friendly interfaces. This kind of service providers are targeting small business owners for whom a high standard web site is essential. Since you pay your host for their services, it saves you workforce for your web site maintenance and upkeep.
You don't need to worry about server crashes and technical issues. You can relay on your web hosting provider to make sure your visitors has easy access to your web site.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you choose web site host for your small business. This will help you to get efficient services. The main thing, will be to choose a reliable web hosting service that provides you with enough server space to host your web site.
You want to see that the technical support are top notch. And the web site builder have to be user friendly. What kind of special features are included? and what features do you need at your website? Your web site host should also offer you some flexibility to move around and grow with your business and the traffic at your site.
Some of the best web hosting providers also offers web design services. Professional web hosting designs are user friendly, ready made templates that give your web site a professional look and feel. These are custom made by the provider and you can choose from a variety of templates. there are different templates for specific business purposes.
Once you choose a design template, all you need to do is upload your content. Sit back and enjoy the effect of an eye catching web site.
To create your web site with a template, is a good way to avoid falling in the trap of create a flashy site with a lot of graphics and slow navigation. People don't like to wait, keep your site lean and mean.
About The Author
Ove Nordkvist is the Founder of the web site http://small-biz-ideas.net, where you can get help with ideas, tools and resources to start a small business. You can download free Masters Courses for a variety of small business ideas at http://www.small-biz-ideas.net.
Visit http://www.small-biz-ideas.net/web-hosting.html to learn more about web hosting.
The best web hosting providers give you easy to use web site builders and user friendly interfaces. This kind of service providers are targeting small business owners for whom a high standard web site is essential. Since you pay your host for their services, it saves you workforce for your web site maintenance and upkeep.
You don't need to worry about server crashes and technical issues. You can relay on your web hosting provider to make sure your visitors has easy access to your web site.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you choose web site host for your small business. This will help you to get efficient services. The main thing, will be to choose a reliable web hosting service that provides you with enough server space to host your web site.
You want to see that the technical support are top notch. And the web site builder have to be user friendly. What kind of special features are included? and what features do you need at your website? Your web site host should also offer you some flexibility to move around and grow with your business and the traffic at your site.
Some of the best web hosting providers also offers web design services. Professional web hosting designs are user friendly, ready made templates that give your web site a professional look and feel. These are custom made by the provider and you can choose from a variety of templates. there are different templates for specific business purposes.
Once you choose a design template, all you need to do is upload your content. Sit back and enjoy the effect of an eye catching web site.
To create your web site with a template, is a good way to avoid falling in the trap of create a flashy site with a lot of graphics and slow navigation. People don't like to wait, keep your site lean and mean.
About The Author
Ove Nordkvist is the Founder of the web site http://small-biz-ideas.net, where you can get help with ideas, tools and resources to start a small business. You can download free Masters Courses for a variety of small business ideas at http://www.small-biz-ideas.net.
Visit http://www.small-biz-ideas.net/web-hosting.html to learn more about web hosting.
Six Common Mistakes In Website Design That Kill Your Online Business
Some websites fare well. Others falter - and miserably at that. What’s the difference? What do the successful websites do right and what do the failed websites do wrong?
The answer - or answers even - isn’t difficult to fathom. There are quite a number of common mistakes that seal the fate on internet marketers and their dreams. Here are 6 of them, which hopefully, you’d try to avoid at all cost.
1. A slow loading website. There is nothing more irritating than a website that tales forever to load. Granted that most internet users these days have high speed connections, a great percentage are still hooked up to the World Wide Web via slower 56K access. This percentage should not be taken for granted. In building your website, try to stay away from the humongous graphic files. No, you don’t need a high number of pixels. No, you don’t need fancy movies or flash animation. No, you don’t need catchy music. You need a website that will deliver the information it promises at an instantaneous rate, and for this reason, you have to choose functionality over design.
2. A navigation system that is very difficult to understand. If your menu bar is too complicated, you’ll just end up driving away a lot of your visitors. You don’t want your visitors to get stuck in just one page. You need to make it easy for them to explore your website. Your pages must be interlinked in a logical way, and this connection should be easily navigable through an intuitive interface that even a 7 year old will be able to understand. Again, this is a matter of functionality over design. Place your navigation links either at the top of the page right below the header, or at either side of the page in a separate column. This is where your visitors’ eyes will wander once they want to discover the other pages in your website.
3. Low quality content. Content is king on the internet. People log online to find information they need, and information is conveyed through your content. If your content is poorly written, who will have the patience to read the same? If your content is not unique, why will people choose your website over others? Indeed, there are two requisites for good quality content: excellent presentation and originality. Minus either of this, your entire website will be in jeopardy.
4. Poor choice of keywords to focus on. Keywords drive traffic to your website. Keywords are the terms that people search for when they’re looking for information. If you targeted the right keywords, quality visitors will come aplenty. If you targeted the wrong keywords, visitors will be scarce. So make sure you discover the right keywords even before you start building your website.
5. Cookie cutter websites. Again, this is a matter of originality - or the lack of it. Why would people choose your website over thousands of others sharing the same layout and boasting of the same content? What makes your website special? If these questions cannot be answered positively, then your online business is doomed. Worse, search engines penalize duplicate content, and your website will have a lower position in the search engine results.
6. A website that lacks focus. Focus is key in designing a website. It will be difficult for a website to focus on several, unrelated topics. Why would visitors who are interested with dogs be interested with astronomy? There’s no connection between the two subjects, and if your website caters to these topics, among others, then prepare for some rough sailings ahead.
These are the things you should try to avoid. Your online business depends on how well your website fares. So take some time to think about how you can properly build your website,
About The Author
Mike Spence has been involved in Website design and marketing for years and currently runs variety of business online and offline. Readers can visit He's http://LiveDeal.com Classified Website
Mike is in a variety of business such as international trade, publishing, media, and maunufacturing selling different types of products and offering advice to customers. For more infomation about this topic visit: http://mystore.livedeal.com/miketrader
The answer - or answers even - isn’t difficult to fathom. There are quite a number of common mistakes that seal the fate on internet marketers and their dreams. Here are 6 of them, which hopefully, you’d try to avoid at all cost.
1. A slow loading website. There is nothing more irritating than a website that tales forever to load. Granted that most internet users these days have high speed connections, a great percentage are still hooked up to the World Wide Web via slower 56K access. This percentage should not be taken for granted. In building your website, try to stay away from the humongous graphic files. No, you don’t need a high number of pixels. No, you don’t need fancy movies or flash animation. No, you don’t need catchy music. You need a website that will deliver the information it promises at an instantaneous rate, and for this reason, you have to choose functionality over design.
2. A navigation system that is very difficult to understand. If your menu bar is too complicated, you’ll just end up driving away a lot of your visitors. You don’t want your visitors to get stuck in just one page. You need to make it easy for them to explore your website. Your pages must be interlinked in a logical way, and this connection should be easily navigable through an intuitive interface that even a 7 year old will be able to understand. Again, this is a matter of functionality over design. Place your navigation links either at the top of the page right below the header, or at either side of the page in a separate column. This is where your visitors’ eyes will wander once they want to discover the other pages in your website.
3. Low quality content. Content is king on the internet. People log online to find information they need, and information is conveyed through your content. If your content is poorly written, who will have the patience to read the same? If your content is not unique, why will people choose your website over others? Indeed, there are two requisites for good quality content: excellent presentation and originality. Minus either of this, your entire website will be in jeopardy.
4. Poor choice of keywords to focus on. Keywords drive traffic to your website. Keywords are the terms that people search for when they’re looking for information. If you targeted the right keywords, quality visitors will come aplenty. If you targeted the wrong keywords, visitors will be scarce. So make sure you discover the right keywords even before you start building your website.
5. Cookie cutter websites. Again, this is a matter of originality - or the lack of it. Why would people choose your website over thousands of others sharing the same layout and boasting of the same content? What makes your website special? If these questions cannot be answered positively, then your online business is doomed. Worse, search engines penalize duplicate content, and your website will have a lower position in the search engine results.
6. A website that lacks focus. Focus is key in designing a website. It will be difficult for a website to focus on several, unrelated topics. Why would visitors who are interested with dogs be interested with astronomy? There’s no connection between the two subjects, and if your website caters to these topics, among others, then prepare for some rough sailings ahead.
These are the things you should try to avoid. Your online business depends on how well your website fares. So take some time to think about how you can properly build your website,
About The Author
Mike Spence has been involved in Website design and marketing for years and currently runs variety of business online and offline. Readers can visit He's http://LiveDeal.com Classified Website
Mike is in a variety of business such as international trade, publishing, media, and maunufacturing selling different types of products and offering advice to customers. For more infomation about this topic visit: http://mystore.livedeal.com/miketrader
Dreaming Of A Web Business? Do You Have What It Takes?
After many months of worrying, searching, and procrastinating you finally decide to take the plunge. Are you ready for this?
Here’s what I found you absolutely need to start and run a successful small business on the Web.
Deceptively Simple
If you are reading this, you can obviously navigate on the Web. You also have a more than passing interest for the subject clearly stated in the title of this article.
Furthermore, I would be willing to bet that you can already use your personal computer to create written documents, such as emails, or a more elaborate document, such as your personal resume (curriculum vitae).
You may even be using your computer to do your budget, for all I know.
Intuitively, you know you will need a Web site to market your Web business. You believe that you should know something about how to build a Web site that will serve the purposes of the small business you are planning to start.
This is where most people hesitate, or even drop the idea of a business on the Web. They think they need to hire expensive web site creators, and Web designers, to do what they think they cannot achieve.
Some forge on blindly and fall for the many “easy solutions” that are constantly being offered on the Web. “Try our easy to use – free – templates, and just fill in the blanks. Presto! You have a Web site! Need content? No problem! Just subscribe to our free articles … blah…blah…blah”.
Yeah! Sure! But, will your Web site be a suitable marketing instrument for your business? Will it be an extension of yourself? Will it represent you, or someone else’s efforts?
How are you going to be able to tell? You know (deep down) that you ignore practically everything about how to use the Web technologies to
·Validate your business idea,
·Research the best way to exploit it to it’s maximum potential,
·And ensure the success of your small business.
The “get rich quick, it’s easy” (GRQ) crowd remain conspicuously silent on these vital issues!
Keep your eyes and critical mind open!
Be on the constant lookout for openly revealed answers that ring true and logical to you. Stay away from “secret” recipes. Use your own judgment to determine where the true solution lies. You have more common sense than you think. Don’t be afraid to use it! It’s in you best interest to exercise due diligence.
Marketing
You need to know the basic marketing techniques and strategies for the Web. They are very different from the ones you would successfully use on “land”! Seek competent advice on this.
Remember! The most reliable advice need not be the most expensive!
Look for reputable, knowledgeable people who have a vested interest in your success. They will want you to succeed because your success will be contributing to their success. These experts work for themselves as well as for you. Therefore, they do not charge extra for the privilege of contributing to your endeavor, and making your efforts worthwhile. It will be worth their while too, in the long run. They know it. So should you.
Guarantees?
Look for the guarantee behind the “GRQ” schemes. You will find none, of course.
If you don’t believe you need a guarantee, think again! You are new to this business of … starting a Web business. You a running the risk of failing, without appropriate and reliable help and support. You stand to lose your desire, perhaps forever! That would be a sorry mistake to make.
Keep searching until you find a solution provider that will openly “guarantee results, if you follow their plan … or your money back!”. You will know, then, that you will have found a solution worth looking into seriously.
You just have to use your brain, common sense, and your motivation to keep looking further, below the surface (apparently easy solutions).
Work
You will have to work at it. That should not come as a surprise. You did not really believe that it’s possible to build a successful business without you contributing some level of effort, did you?
Just make sure your efforts are well supported by reliable expert guidance, and everything will turn out just fine … given time, and your active participation, of course! You don’t have to become one the many misguided start-ups that fail miserably, because they failed to do their homework!
You will have to be strong to resist the many temptations of promised “easy way outs”! Because, that’s all they are. An easy way out of business!
Before you know it, time will have flashed by, and you will end up with a truly viable business. Your determined efforts will be rewarded, in more ways than one.
Drive
If you read somewhere that it takes passion to build a business, be it on the Web or elsewhere, believe it!
When you go to bed at night, and can’t wait to get up in the morning to run your business, that’s when you are well on your way toward a rewarding outcome.
Money?
You are considering a business on the Web. It does not require much money to start one. You will not be buying an existing one, nor will you be buying into one.
You will be building your Web business from scratch. It can even be done “on a shoestring”, if all your will be offering your clientele is your knowledge, your know-how, or your services. You are already warehousing that in your brain, for free!
You already have a computer, and an internet connection. No extra expenses there.
Most people will think, at this stage, that “all they need next” is a Web host for their business Web site. Don’t make the same mistake!
You will need more than a Web hosting company. As I explained above, you will need the company of Web marketing experts to guide you through the first critical steps toward building a successful Web business, not just a Web site!
A few (rare) Web hosting firms will provide all the “hand holding help” you will need … as part of the basic (not extra) services you will be paying for. They do it because they want to keep your business.
They want to be able to show you off as yet another success story … to which they dutifully, and respectfully contributed.
My Recommendation
Keep looking. Keep your eyes open for sharks. Keep a critical mind on full alert to distinguish between “fools gold” and the real stuff. Keep believing in your idea. Keep working at it. Above all, keep it real.
Keep your efforts honest. Do not try to fool yourself. You will be rewarded … in spades!
Eventually, you will realize that you had what it takes, after all.
About The Author
Claude Jollet is a former planning advisor to major industrial and commercial clients. He specialized in weather related operational planning issues. He holds a B.Sc.A. specializing in business process analysis and automation. More at http://www.top-web-entrepreneurs-plan-it.com/aptitude-test.html.
Here’s what I found you absolutely need to start and run a successful small business on the Web.
Deceptively Simple
If you are reading this, you can obviously navigate on the Web. You also have a more than passing interest for the subject clearly stated in the title of this article.
Furthermore, I would be willing to bet that you can already use your personal computer to create written documents, such as emails, or a more elaborate document, such as your personal resume (curriculum vitae).
You may even be using your computer to do your budget, for all I know.
Intuitively, you know you will need a Web site to market your Web business. You believe that you should know something about how to build a Web site that will serve the purposes of the small business you are planning to start.
This is where most people hesitate, or even drop the idea of a business on the Web. They think they need to hire expensive web site creators, and Web designers, to do what they think they cannot achieve.
Some forge on blindly and fall for the many “easy solutions” that are constantly being offered on the Web. “Try our easy to use – free – templates, and just fill in the blanks. Presto! You have a Web site! Need content? No problem! Just subscribe to our free articles … blah…blah…blah”.
Yeah! Sure! But, will your Web site be a suitable marketing instrument for your business? Will it be an extension of yourself? Will it represent you, or someone else’s efforts?
How are you going to be able to tell? You know (deep down) that you ignore practically everything about how to use the Web technologies to
·Validate your business idea,
·Research the best way to exploit it to it’s maximum potential,
·And ensure the success of your small business.
The “get rich quick, it’s easy” (GRQ) crowd remain conspicuously silent on these vital issues!
Keep your eyes and critical mind open!
Be on the constant lookout for openly revealed answers that ring true and logical to you. Stay away from “secret” recipes. Use your own judgment to determine where the true solution lies. You have more common sense than you think. Don’t be afraid to use it! It’s in you best interest to exercise due diligence.
Marketing
You need to know the basic marketing techniques and strategies for the Web. They are very different from the ones you would successfully use on “land”! Seek competent advice on this.
Remember! The most reliable advice need not be the most expensive!
Look for reputable, knowledgeable people who have a vested interest in your success. They will want you to succeed because your success will be contributing to their success. These experts work for themselves as well as for you. Therefore, they do not charge extra for the privilege of contributing to your endeavor, and making your efforts worthwhile. It will be worth their while too, in the long run. They know it. So should you.
Guarantees?
Look for the guarantee behind the “GRQ” schemes. You will find none, of course.
If you don’t believe you need a guarantee, think again! You are new to this business of … starting a Web business. You a running the risk of failing, without appropriate and reliable help and support. You stand to lose your desire, perhaps forever! That would be a sorry mistake to make.
Keep searching until you find a solution provider that will openly “guarantee results, if you follow their plan … or your money back!”. You will know, then, that you will have found a solution worth looking into seriously.
You just have to use your brain, common sense, and your motivation to keep looking further, below the surface (apparently easy solutions).
Work
You will have to work at it. That should not come as a surprise. You did not really believe that it’s possible to build a successful business without you contributing some level of effort, did you?
Just make sure your efforts are well supported by reliable expert guidance, and everything will turn out just fine … given time, and your active participation, of course! You don’t have to become one the many misguided start-ups that fail miserably, because they failed to do their homework!
You will have to be strong to resist the many temptations of promised “easy way outs”! Because, that’s all they are. An easy way out of business!
Before you know it, time will have flashed by, and you will end up with a truly viable business. Your determined efforts will be rewarded, in more ways than one.
Drive
If you read somewhere that it takes passion to build a business, be it on the Web or elsewhere, believe it!
When you go to bed at night, and can’t wait to get up in the morning to run your business, that’s when you are well on your way toward a rewarding outcome.
Money?
You are considering a business on the Web. It does not require much money to start one. You will not be buying an existing one, nor will you be buying into one.
You will be building your Web business from scratch. It can even be done “on a shoestring”, if all your will be offering your clientele is your knowledge, your know-how, or your services. You are already warehousing that in your brain, for free!
You already have a computer, and an internet connection. No extra expenses there.
Most people will think, at this stage, that “all they need next” is a Web host for their business Web site. Don’t make the same mistake!
You will need more than a Web hosting company. As I explained above, you will need the company of Web marketing experts to guide you through the first critical steps toward building a successful Web business, not just a Web site!
A few (rare) Web hosting firms will provide all the “hand holding help” you will need … as part of the basic (not extra) services you will be paying for. They do it because they want to keep your business.
They want to be able to show you off as yet another success story … to which they dutifully, and respectfully contributed.
My Recommendation
Keep looking. Keep your eyes open for sharks. Keep a critical mind on full alert to distinguish between “fools gold” and the real stuff. Keep believing in your idea. Keep working at it. Above all, keep it real.
Keep your efforts honest. Do not try to fool yourself. You will be rewarded … in spades!
Eventually, you will realize that you had what it takes, after all.
About The Author
Claude Jollet is a former planning advisor to major industrial and commercial clients. He specialized in weather related operational planning issues. He holds a B.Sc.A. specializing in business process analysis and automation. More at http://www.top-web-entrepreneurs-plan-it.com/aptitude-test.html.
Does Your Web Site Grow Your Business?
Any business, regardless of the size or complexity of its web site, can leverage their industry knowledge and marketing skill to engage consumer interest and increase sales. How? By using a simple Content Management System (CMS). Content is the core of every web site. It’s how you tell your visitors who you are, what you offer, and why they should do business with you. How you design and manage the words and images that comprise your content is key to your success as an online enterprise.
Acquiring new leads, selling products, developing loyalty, educating consumers, and building your brand -- is that what your web site does? An effective web site should contribute to the growth of your business. All too often web sites are not built to capitalize on the potential of the Internet as a powerful business development tool. Your customers and prospects are using the Internet everyday to get information, do research, and to make decisions about who to do business with. A CMS will help you keep your information current, allow you to easily stay in touch with customers and let you show off your expertise.
What Is A Content Management System (CMS)?
A content management system automates the publishing of content on your web site. It makes creating, updating and archiving content easy and direct. A good CMS, such as the widely acclaimed Joomla (a free, mature and open source product), requires no special technology expertise to use. You simply login to your site through your favorite web browser, and update your pages.
By separating design from content, your design and layout navigation is programmed into your CMS by a qualified Web design firm. Can you use Microsoft Word? Your new CMS will be even easier. You add, edit, and save content, and your CMS automates the rest. You can control your entire site yourself, or let your marketing, human resources, or sales managers own their unique site sections. Even complex ecommerce sites become simple to update.
How Your Business Will Benefit
Keeping your site content current and accurate is good customer service. Your price changes, sales, and special event information should always be up-to-date. Publishing articles on your site to demonstrate your expertise will impress and educate customers and prospects. CMS lets you send informational emails and eNewsletters to customers who request them, manage events calendars, and even gives you Blogging and Discussion Group tools.
Your business gains complete control over information quality, improves consistency, and reduces site maintenance costs. The greatest benefits, of course, are how a CMS can help improve sales, increase user satisfaction, and develop lasting lines of communication with the public.
The Bottom Line
A scalable and feature-rich CMS is not expensive. Whether you need a simple site or complex eCommerce solution, a CMS like Joomla can handle the essential functions and interactivity almost any business requires, and much more. There are thousands of add-ons available that expand your web site’s capabilities and features, usually for little or no cost.
Take a good look at your current web site. If it’s not earning its keep as a strategic business development and sales tool, it's time to convert to a CMS.
About The Author
Deborah Kaufman is one of the founding partners of the award-winning small packages, inc., a web development and marketing company helping clients use technology and the Internet to increase revenues, boost efficiency and save money. For more information, you can visit their web site at http://smallpackages.com.
Acquiring new leads, selling products, developing loyalty, educating consumers, and building your brand -- is that what your web site does? An effective web site should contribute to the growth of your business. All too often web sites are not built to capitalize on the potential of the Internet as a powerful business development tool. Your customers and prospects are using the Internet everyday to get information, do research, and to make decisions about who to do business with. A CMS will help you keep your information current, allow you to easily stay in touch with customers and let you show off your expertise.
What Is A Content Management System (CMS)?
A content management system automates the publishing of content on your web site. It makes creating, updating and archiving content easy and direct. A good CMS, such as the widely acclaimed Joomla (a free, mature and open source product), requires no special technology expertise to use. You simply login to your site through your favorite web browser, and update your pages.
By separating design from content, your design and layout navigation is programmed into your CMS by a qualified Web design firm. Can you use Microsoft Word? Your new CMS will be even easier. You add, edit, and save content, and your CMS automates the rest. You can control your entire site yourself, or let your marketing, human resources, or sales managers own their unique site sections. Even complex ecommerce sites become simple to update.
How Your Business Will Benefit
Keeping your site content current and accurate is good customer service. Your price changes, sales, and special event information should always be up-to-date. Publishing articles on your site to demonstrate your expertise will impress and educate customers and prospects. CMS lets you send informational emails and eNewsletters to customers who request them, manage events calendars, and even gives you Blogging and Discussion Group tools.
Your business gains complete control over information quality, improves consistency, and reduces site maintenance costs. The greatest benefits, of course, are how a CMS can help improve sales, increase user satisfaction, and develop lasting lines of communication with the public.
The Bottom Line
A scalable and feature-rich CMS is not expensive. Whether you need a simple site or complex eCommerce solution, a CMS like Joomla can handle the essential functions and interactivity almost any business requires, and much more. There are thousands of add-ons available that expand your web site’s capabilities and features, usually for little or no cost.
Take a good look at your current web site. If it’s not earning its keep as a strategic business development and sales tool, it's time to convert to a CMS.
About The Author
Deborah Kaufman is one of the founding partners of the award-winning small packages, inc., a web development and marketing company helping clients use technology and the Internet to increase revenues, boost efficiency and save money. For more information, you can visit their web site at http://smallpackages.com.
Here Are A Few Web Design Tips For Businesses Living In The Jungle
Web design has come a long way in 10 years. No longer can a business simply throw up a web site and expect their customers to drop by. It's a virtual jungle out there.
Some Internet veterans remember when their were just 3,000 web sites. Now, there are millions, and most of them aren't very effective in doing what they're supposed to be doing. The reason lies within the elements of the web sites themselves.
Web design is not an exact science, but it does require some planning. Here are a few tips that will help you design your web site with your human visitors in mind and with the search engines in your heart:
1) Include an About Us section on your web site. Make it easy for your visitors to find out exactly what you do. Be up front about it.
2) Use alt and title tags for design elements. Photos, videos, Flash presentations, and other visual and graphic elements can not be read by the search engine spiders, but alt and title tags can.
3) Give each web page a title. You will do better in the search engines.
4) Don't load your web site with graphics. Use them minimally, and then only to enhance your message.
5) Update your content every day, but don't move pages and change the URLs.
6) Like too many graphics, too much text will bore your readers. Don't bore your readers. Just include the pertinent and relevant information.
7) Start a blog. It really does work. Even if you don't get any readers, you'll get fresh content and inbound links to your web site, which the search engines love like circus clowns enjoy unicycles.
As the Web proliferates with more and web sites (web site traffic doubles every 100 days), the jungle will only get thicker. That means, the competition for traffic will get tougher and the search engines will start demanding more of web designers to attract attention from their spiders. If you plan on going online, you need to start studying design elements right now and learn how to make your web site meet the ever-changing standards of search engine friendliness and human visitor interest.
Design your web site with your customers' needs in mind, but learn what the search engines want to. It's the only way you'll survive in the jungle.
About The Author
Randy Moretz has been involved in the telecommunications industry since 1993. He has owned and operated his own business since the early 1990s and currently serves as the guide and principle of The Cardinal Group. His corporate services involves the promotion of telecommunications technology, including “Maxie” the virtual attendant and Total Recall voice loggers, as well as Web design and hosting services. For more information about the latest communications technology for small businesses and Web services go to http://www.thecardinalgroup.org.
Some Internet veterans remember when their were just 3,000 web sites. Now, there are millions, and most of them aren't very effective in doing what they're supposed to be doing. The reason lies within the elements of the web sites themselves.
Web design is not an exact science, but it does require some planning. Here are a few tips that will help you design your web site with your human visitors in mind and with the search engines in your heart:
1) Include an About Us section on your web site. Make it easy for your visitors to find out exactly what you do. Be up front about it.
2) Use alt and title tags for design elements. Photos, videos, Flash presentations, and other visual and graphic elements can not be read by the search engine spiders, but alt and title tags can.
3) Give each web page a title. You will do better in the search engines.
4) Don't load your web site with graphics. Use them minimally, and then only to enhance your message.
5) Update your content every day, but don't move pages and change the URLs.
6) Like too many graphics, too much text will bore your readers. Don't bore your readers. Just include the pertinent and relevant information.
7) Start a blog. It really does work. Even if you don't get any readers, you'll get fresh content and inbound links to your web site, which the search engines love like circus clowns enjoy unicycles.
As the Web proliferates with more and web sites (web site traffic doubles every 100 days), the jungle will only get thicker. That means, the competition for traffic will get tougher and the search engines will start demanding more of web designers to attract attention from their spiders. If you plan on going online, you need to start studying design elements right now and learn how to make your web site meet the ever-changing standards of search engine friendliness and human visitor interest.
Design your web site with your customers' needs in mind, but learn what the search engines want to. It's the only way you'll survive in the jungle.
About The Author
Randy Moretz has been involved in the telecommunications industry since 1993. He has owned and operated his own business since the early 1990s and currently serves as the guide and principle of The Cardinal Group. His corporate services involves the promotion of telecommunications technology, including “Maxie” the virtual attendant and Total Recall voice loggers, as well as Web design and hosting services. For more information about the latest communications technology for small businesses and Web services go to http://www.thecardinalgroup.org.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)