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Getting the Right Domain Name

2009-12-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

The Basics of Domain Name Registration

The first thing you have to do is come up with a good domain name...

Keywords:
Once you are comfortable with working online, you should buy a domain name for your site or sites. Domain name registration, if you do it right, is one of the key components of having your site rate high in the search engines. The right domain name is memorable, and can get your site to rank higher than other names. The wrong domain name won't do you any good at all.

The Basics of Domain Name Registration

The first thing you have to do is come up with a good domain name for registration. Don't even think about a one-word domain name; they're all gone at this point. Instead, come up with dual-word combos. If you're putting together a professional site, try your name before anything else.

Don't get fancy with spelling when selecting your domain name registration, or use 2s and 8s to represent their sounds. You can try the number 1; that sometimes works. You can also try the names of products you offer, or a description of your site content offerings: Romanceforgirls, popcornpalace, fluffykittens. Memorable is always better; short and memorable is best, but very difficult to accomplish.

Come up with a couple of dozen names that will do for your site, and test them on a registry. Don't buy a domain name for which the .com extension is gone, but you have access to the .net or .info. These domain names are not by any means as valuable as the .com. If you pick up the .com, though, and you expect the site to be lucrative or have a lot of competition, it's not a bad idea to pick up the other extensions as well. Domain name registration is NOT expensive, and if you register in bulk you can get an even better price.

The .UK Extension

This doesn't mean you should avoid anything but .com. If you have a business in the United Kingdom, you have access to the .uk domain name set, which UK customers are likely to look at before anything else for UK-specific businesses.

If you anticipate most of your business will come from British customers who are aware your business is in Britain, the .uk extension may be a better choice than the .com; and if your customers are unhappy with Internic's control of Internet domain registration or they are very pro-Britain, the .uk extension is certainly a better choice.

If you're fortunate enough to find both extensions for your domain open, and if you run a British company, it doesn't cost much to buy them both, and you definitely should.

It also gives your online presence an immediate “identity” geographically which can be crucial in building online relationships- where trust is a key component. By being a .UK domain, you are very likely to gain UK clients.

The .UK domains market is one of the fastest growing and lucrative registration areas on the internet.

Tips for Domain Name Registration

Have a website ready to plunk into your domain as soon as you buy it, and submit it immediately to the search engines. The search engines take time to index new sites and your domain name registration is only as valuable as the search engines make it.

You can also have more than one domain name pointing at a single site. If you've bought multiple extensions for your domain name (as in the previously-suggested .com /.uk combination), you can set up your site under one domain name and then direct traffic from the others to the main site. This is called web traffic forwarding and has been around for years. It may be as simple as parking your domain name on a server and putting a line of code on the page, or as complex as going through another website to use their online web forwarding services.

When you do register a domain and start building traffic to it, go out and renew for multiple years before your renewal is due. It is surprisingly easy to forget to register your domain name on time, and if someone else sneaks in and registers it, you've just lost a ton of work on that domain.

By making your domain name memorable, you will help other webmasters remember your site easily when building anchor texts in their links- a crucial component of SEO.

Final tip: don’t just think about price when looking for a domain registration company- also think about quality of service. While you shouldn’t be paying over the odds, it really is better to be safe than sorry and go with the more established registrars. Then you can have peace of mind that should any problems arise, you will be well looked after.

What to Look For in a New Franchise

2009-12-05T02:10:00.000-08:00

Want to buy a franchise opportunity? Great idea! Here is a high-level overview on what to look for:

Operating History - A long history of success is the #1 thing to look for. If many other franchisees have been successful over the years, your chances are probably pretty good that you will be successful too.

Location, location, location - Investigate the territory rights. Make sure that your site selection is a good one. Don't settle for a second rate site.

Investigate - Don't believe everything you hear or read from the franchisor! Investigate. Lean on those experts around you such as an attorney or an accountant. Visit some existing franchisees(choose to visit ones that the franchisor does not recommend, not just the ones that they feed you).

Labor pool - If your franchise is labor intensive (example: restaurant), what is the depth and quality of the available labor pool? Any business needs a strong qualified workforce in order to succeed.

Initial training - Make sure that you and all key employees are adequately prepared. Grand opening support is a must.

Ongoing support - A critical component for success. Make sure that all levels of support are included, and get it in writing upfront! Don't rely on their statement, "Don't worry, we will take care of you".

Marketing programs - Franchise marketing is important. Make sure that any marketing dollars contributed to the franchisor are spent wisely.

Purchasing power - Can the franchisor pass on cost savings to you based on mass purchasing power?

Investment amount - While the upfront cost of the investment can seem expensive, in the long run it is probably not. A more significant expense can be the ongoing royalty and marketing fees.

Exit strategy - If the opportunity does not work, what is your exit strategy? Will the franchisor assist you in re-selling the franchise? Will they help market it for you? Many franchisors will actually provide a section on their web site for franchise re-sales. Beware if there are a lot of re-sales relative to the total number of franchises in existence.

What was the dot.com bubble?

2009-11-29T20:25:00.000-08:00

In the world of investing, certain phrases catch on like wild fire. Before you know it, you’re hearing catchphrases on the news, on analyst shows and even on the street from strangers. Maybe no other phrase exemplifies this better than the dot.com bubble. The dot.com bubble was a mini-crash of sorts in the stock market that only affected one segment of stock: the internet company.

The origin of the dot.com bubble can be traced back to 1994. The rise of the Internet from being a Department of Defense secret to a widely used tool in everyday life caused the formation of thousands of new businesses seemingly overnight. Many of these dot.com’s were not run by people who knew that much about business, but the ease of starting their own company over the Internet was so simple, most investors didn’t realize this.

As people poured onto the Internet, excitement grew as to the possibility of reaching such a large number of people so easily and so cheaply. It was, however, the misunderstood nature of the Internet that caused the eventual dot.com crash. Reaching all those people and getting them to buy your product turned out to be a little more difficult than most thought.

Three particular companies that would come to represent the dot.com age were WorldCom, who would end up not surviving the bubble, Netscape, which is still in business today but is considered an also-ran by many, and Yahoo, who isn’t the industry leader it use to be, but is still doing quite well.

The “bubble” referred to in the name comes from investors speculating about a companies future, and as the stock for that company begins to rise, the bubble builds. It’s called a bubble because the speculation and the rise in stock prices isn’t based on any real, ironclad evidence that the company is really worth all the hype.

The Dot.coms began to fail en masse midway through 2000. The Nasdaq market felt the full brunt of these failures since so much of their listed companies were dot.coms. Many companies, such as WorldCom and Pets.com ended up going out of business, costing investors millions. Others, such as Yahoo and Amazon survived, with Amazon being stronger than ever.

It’s unknown if there will be another dot.com bust in the future. With Google having bought YouTube for over a billion dollars, anything is possible. But one hopes that investors will be more careful this time and heed the lessons of dot.com bubble’s past.

Building a Home Internet Business

2009-11-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

The first step in building a home Internet business is to find out what it is you want to sell. There are numerous options and countless moneymaking schemes and scams that we are bombarded by everyday. Be careful to do enough research on the pros and cons of each option, and then decide which is best for you.

The next step in starting your Internet business is to make sure that your idea or connection is legal. Consult an attorney for the FTC regulations for online business, and get the advice of an accountant regarding tax obligations and learn how to keep books.

Having an impressive website presence is the cornerstone of your online business. Get a domain name that is easy for customers to remember, reflective of your line of business and can be easily picked up by search engines. Though the web address given by your Internet provider can be used, there’s the danger of losing your domain should your service provider go out of business. Make sure to register the domain name though it might cost a little.

Choose a web hosting company that is reliable and offers a wide range of packages depending on the needs of a growing business. Choose a package depending on its bandwidth, disk space, e-mail facility, downtime, customer support, back up facility and any other additional facilities your business might need. There are many free hosting service providers, but resist the temptation and pay for your service. Free hosting does not give you control over your site nor does it give a professional look to the site.

Web design is crucial, so if you have any budget at all, hire someone to design it. It’s worth the money to have a clean, creative design that will identify your site and your product. It should be easy to upload and navigate and should appeal to your target audience.

You officially start business by launching the site but that’s not enough. Promoting and improvising the site through constant updating is what makes you different from a million others. Put together a systematic plan that works for you.

Coffee Vending Machine – The Foundation of the Vending Machine Business

2009-11-21T23:32:00.000-08:00

A coffee vending machine is a common sight in most locations where there are plenty of people. Whether you are in an airport, a hospital or an office building, the chances of being able to get a cup of coffee, a snack or a soda from a vending machine is very good. However, the number of specialty coffee shops is proving to be competition for these vending machines. This is why many of the coin-operated coffee vending machines now offer customers the opportunity to enjoy specialty coffee.

When it comes to vending machines, soda, snack, or coffee, customers want freshness. Therefore, if you have a coin operated vending machine that dispenses coffee or snacks, you do have to make sure that the quality of the product is always fresh. If you have coffee vending machines placed in locations where they are not doing well, the best thing is for you to find a location where the product will sell better, After a while the coffee in the machine goes stale and customers will not buy any at all.

Most business owners and managers will be very receptive if you approach them with your idea for coin-operated coffee vending machines. Since most employees do slip out to the nearest coffee shop for a refill, being able to offer specialty coffee at the business location does a lot for company morale. A small store near an office building will also like to have a coffee vending machine because the workers that come in for coffee will also purchase something else. In a vending machine, soda, snacks and fruit are really cold which goes over well on a hot summer day.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to place your coffee vending machines in the staff room of a school or business, you will do well with your vending machine business. All you have to do is set up a schedule for visiting the coin-operated vending machines to replenish the supply of coffee. You also need to provide a telephone number so that if the vending machine, soda, snacks or coffee runs out, someone from that location can call you to let you know. Being able to keep the vending machines fully stocked is one thing you need to do to succeed in this business.

The coffee vending machines of today offer larger cups of coffee than the older models. There are also better thermal and brewing systems in these coin-operated vending machines, which translates into offering your customers a better cup of coffee for their money. You do need to offer the same quality of coffee from your coffee vending machines as the customers can get at Starbucks or Tim Horton’s.

4 Tech Must-haves for Your Mobile Office

2009-11-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

Everything changes when you trade in your desktop for a laptop and your office for a hotel room.

Sometimes this is for the better: You're liberated from your cubicle and free to go where your work takes you.

But sometimes things change for the worse. Productivity suffers when you're in an unfamiliar place. The way a laptop keyboard cramps your hands is sometimes enough to keep you from getting the job done right.

Here are four technology "must-haves" for the mobile office, plus some tools that can boost your productivity while you're away.

• The Right Software

It isn't just downloading the necessary applications onto your laptop or PDA, it's also knowing whether the programs are suited to a mobile office. Is your email program built for the road or adapted from a bigger application meant for a corporate network? Do the programs work together on your laptop or do they freeze when your processor gets busy?

These considerations can become big issues when you're traveling. That's something Tab Stone, a doctor from Los Angeles, knows all too well. He installed a new email program on his laptop before leaving on a recent trip, but it wasn't suited for mobile use. He had to uninstall it shortly before takeoff, but that disabled his backup email program. That meant he couldn't download any messages to his PC. "I could not fix whatever was corrupted with either a fresh download or a copy downloaded from the internet," Stone recalls.

The latest: Contact-management software programs let you integrate data with your PDA, so you can download and synchronise contacts, calendar appointments and notes to your Palm Pilot or Pocket PC. There's also a web-based version for travellers who either lose their laptops or prefer to work from a desktop at their destination.

What's next? Look for more integration between applications for wireless users. Contact managers are already assuming the role of email program, address book and database. The next step is making it more accessible to people who are using cell phones or PDAs.

• The Right Hardware

I'm not talking about owning the newest laptop computer. I'm talking about hardware that's created for life on the road. Let's face it: A lot of the gadgets on which mobile professionals depend aren't made with travelers in mind. For example, when Joachim Martin's laptop battery ran out on a recent flight, a helpful flight attendant offered to recharge it in a "secret" outlet in the back of the plane. "The batteries charged," remembers the software developer. "But when I got home, they were dead." The power source had to be replaced. Blame the airline, the battery manufacturer or even the unfortunate business traveller for not knowing better, but this kind of thing happens often. Phone plugs don't always fit; neither do power outlets. And a lot of the gadgets we rely on are traveler-hostile, impractical or both.

The latest: Some hardware manufacturers are meeting the demand for traveler-friendly hardware with add-ons such as the Stowaway XT Keyboard. I've also been impressed with Microsoft's Mini Optical Mouse, which frees you from the restrictions of your laptop's finger-cramping pointer.

What's next? As the convergence between cell phones, PCs and PDAs continues, it wouldn't surprise me to see devices that offer the ergonomic comfort of a desktop with the portability of a PDA. It won't come a moment too soon for many road warriors.

• The Right Connections

Connections are everything to the mobile office.

Remember Stone, the doctor without email? He eventually accessed his messages through an unwieldy web connection. Spencer Field, who recently returned from a trip to Melbourne, can also tell you about email trouble. He learned upon arrival that the dial-up numbers to his internet service provider (ISP) didn't work. "I thought that was probably the end of my online access," he says. "As a last-ditch effort, I let my fingers do the walking and checked out the Melbourne Yellow Pages for a local ISP." He found one and signed up for a one-month email account which gave him access to local numbers on his entire itinerary.

It isn't just internet connections that matter, but also hooking up to other devices such as cell phones, PDAs and laptops. Technologies such as Bluetooth let you communicate with other devices in an office or hotel room without the need for cables.

The latest: According to a recent AT&T study, the top barrier to working from a remote location is access to a high-speed data connection. Fast wireless networks are springing up everywhere — in hotels, airport lounges and coffee shops. And even though Bluetooth got off to a slow start, the concept behind it — which is to lose the wires — is fundamentally sound.

What's next? It won't be long before Wi-Fi is as ubiquitous as cellular coverage and a majority of devices are Bluetooth-enabled. That's good news for those of us who work in a mobile office.

• The Right Web Applications

Web-based applications are so important to the mobile office that I've decided to give them their own category, even though they technically belong in the "software" section. The web is one of the most efficient ways for a mobile worker to gain access to a back-office system, intranet or database.

My ISP offers a rudimentary application that lets me check my email from the web. I can't remember how often I've had to use it because my email program failed to work properly. But I do remember the last time. I was stuck at a meeting out-of-town and my email account had sustained a spam attack — thousands of unsolicited messages — that would have taken hours to download. Instead, I logged on to the web and deleted them all in seconds. Were it not for the web application, I would probably still be downloading the spam.

The latest: One of the most innovative Web applications is GoToMyPC , which lets you access the desktop in your home or office through the web. Another useful application for mobile users is web conferencing services such as Microsoft Office LiveMeeting.

What's next? Expect these applications to become cheaper, more reliable and even more sophisticated.

3 Key Secret Components for Wholesale Profit Success

2009-11-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

Everyday it is getting more attractive to start selling wholesale items online and offline because of the profit potential many products carry. Now a days if you plan to make a part-time income or make a full-time living by selling wholesale items, you need to know three basic components that almost every seller online and offline do not use to their advantage.

In order to have success within the wholesale business you need to follow the three steps key components 98% average Joe marketer does not apply and fails to recognize as vital important factors for company short-term and long-term success as competition is getting heavier every day, such key steps are:

Key Component Number 1: Research. Product and market research both online and offline is a must for the initial start-up success of a potential profitable wholesale business.

You need to discover what wholesale items are profitable, which items are viable and saturated, item acceptance-nationally or worldwide, market population, item conversion rate, return on investment and competition research to name a few.

Know how to make this research before deciding to sell a product and more importantly, a wholesale item. Since when we sell wholesale, profits are less since we sell to merchants, retailers or clients and therefore need more research time to enjoy possible future profits.

Key Component Number 2: Test. Most successful businesses test their product and system before even starting to sell the main item both online or offline.

One of the tools you can use for your immediate advantage is the use of surveys. By using and completing a survey to a potential customer, you obtain valuable rapport on customer likes and dislikes about your idea, product or business concept. Use this free survey resource to your advantage before selling for immediate feedback.

Key Component Number 3: Take Action. Start offering the wholesale item for a fee and gather final conclusions if your item will or will not sell. By doing the proper research, testing and getting into an action process mode, you will win or lose money. No matter what happens in your sales experience with your new item, you earn profits or you gain considerable knowledge and experience.

Very importantly, you must take action with your new idea or recurring wholesale business venture as doing so will increase your experience and potential profit success within your niche and industry.

What are the Ways to Grow Flowers?

2009-11-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

Flowering landscape trees are the crown jewels of the yard. Perhaps no other plants, individually, can have as great an impact on how a yard looks in spring. Browse the articles to which I've linked below for information on particular varieties
of flowering landscape trees. Pictures are included.

Crape Myrtles: Landscape Trees of the South

A popular choice in flowering landscape trees for Southerners, crape myrtles have a long blooming period (mid-summer to fall). The blooming clusters of these flowering landscape trees come in pink, white, red and lavender. The clusters appear on the tips of new wood. Northerners can sometimes get away with treating these flowering landscape trees as perennials that die back in winter but come back in spring.

Trees

Not all specimens with a weeping habit are flowering landscape trees, but this article looks at several weeping varieties that do bloom, headed by four types of cherry. Saucer Magnolias

The size and shape of the blooms are what suggested the common name for these flowering landscape trees. Want a specimen with a brilliant bloom as big as a saucer? Access information on these beauties here.

Rose of Sharon

Although some people think of it as a landscape "tree" because it gets tall and can be pruned so as to have a single trunk), rose of sharon is, in fact, a flowering shrub. The fact that it blooms relatively late -- and for a long time -- makes it
a valuable plant for those looking to distribute their yard's color display throughout the growing season. Top 10 List of Flowering Landscape Trees and Shrubs for Spring.

This article features information on ten flowering landscape trees and shrubs that brighten our spring seasons. Included are redbud, callery pear and crabapple.
Hawthorn: Late-Blooming Landscape Trees

This article offers information on Washington hawthorn trees, which are perhaps most valued for the time at which they bloom (late spring to early summer). Many of the popular flowering specimens bloom earlier in the spring, and while their blossoms are pleasant sights for eyes sore from winter's barrenness, they desert us too quickly!

Different Trade Shows and Exhibit Display Stalls

2009-11-05T04:03:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned before about trade shows and how it can help propel your business into a new heights and expect huge profit in return.

I believe that small business and even large companies and businesses still need to participate in trade show booths and exhibits. It is one way of showcasing the image of the company and your business. It is a corporate image you are presenting to the world and to your prospective clients. If you have good company image, you should never stop to learn things and experiment ideas.

Trade shows and exhibit displays the strong mind within the company. How to earn more profits depend on the presentation and use of table skirts or stalls to exhibit and display your products.

There are many trade show companies which are expert in featuring your company’s spirit. By just using the right banner stands, and other display ideas; you can pinpoint what kind of company you are trying to portray to make good profits. There are also exhibits suitable for the Pipe and Drape, and anything. So next time, think of trade show booth sponsor that have the best idea display presentation for you.

A Go for Newsletter Printing Services

2009-10-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

People are more likely to read news than ads – that is! They are thinking that ads are just a bunch of self-serving ‘puffing’ so they divert to a more interesting activity and that is reading news.

News keeps them updated with the current events, ads don’t. In addition, they are not interested in reading purely marketing pitches. That is the reason why newsletters are a hit! Newsletters are informative letters mailed to subscribers. They are printed and mailed so as to inform and to profit as well. Quality and reliable newsletter printing services is thus, a must in order to come up with valuable work of art. Moreover, a good interaction and mutual purpose to succeed must be the goal of both the printing company and the customers. This goal will lead to persuasion. Persuasion will then result to an intimate contact and trust between the company and the target recipients. These elements will trigger the boost in your business sales.

Newsletter printing services is a great way to keep your business associates, their employees and other subscribers aware of your company’s endeavors, announcements, innovations and other changes. Printing options are ample – color printing, digital printing, offset printing and the likes. These printing processes are of high-quality and budget-wise. Features like graphic and custom design can also be availed of. With these features you can make your newsletters flashy and eye-catching. With the latter, you can personalize by using your own images, logos and pictures. That way your company will be identifiable and retention will likely to take place. Further, when they decide to purchase or subscribe, your product or service will be on top of the list.

Newsletter printing services also suggest having 90-95% news or content and only 10-5% ads so as not to bore the readers and close the pages to your business detriment. Do not forget to edit and proofread your contents. Any flaw or defect will reflect on your company. Editing and revision will surely improve the quality of your newsletter. To be more economical, you can opt for a one or two-color newsletter which measures 8.5 x 11 page-size saddle-stitched. Also use quality paper to complement the content and to give your newsletter an aura of finesse and an air of class. When you find it troublesome in various newsletter phases, seek assistance from the printing experts. Basically, newsletter printing services are backed up by skilled professional makers to assist customers in the complex environment of printing.

Is There Any Business Advantage of Direct TV

2009-10-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

I think many may have already heard and known about Direct TV. It has long been my plan to get satellite TV so I can have access to all the many channels around the world and get fresh news about them thru satellite tv. My brother already have one installed in his room in California. Now I am planning to have it installed too going back to my boarding house in my work.

One of the best things that I like about satellite TV is the updated and very fresh news I can get from around the globe or anywhere on earth and learn things, it is what I enjoyed about it plus the fact that DirectTV is a good business advantage to offer for your client if you are in hotel and restaurant business.

Of course, for businesses, the advantages is very positive to get your own satellite TV. Businesses like Hotel and restaurant or bread and breakfast and Inns. It could be a very profitable idea especially when there are tourists coming from any part of the globe. It is really nice to have them to boost business wherever you plan to get it. If you are in California, Florida or in any part of the globe, why not having your own satellite TV, just type the keyword directv and you can have the taste of your own choice channel. You are going to be directed to any satellite tv online sites.

Computer Repair is a Tricky Business

2009-10-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

Computer is a combination of analog and digital device which is used to compute complex mathematical problems. It is basically a programmable electronic device which performs high speed mathematical and logical operations. The main function of computer is to perform repetitive procedures very quickly and reliably.

The computer can be broadly divided in two sections; one is hardware and the other is software. The hardware is made of electronic circuits and components while the software is the programs required to run the central processing unit or the CPU. Again the hardware is of four type i.e. CPU, input, output and memory device. Now a days looking at the vast uses of computer people are using computer at their offices and at homes for working as well as entertainment purposes.

As we all know that each and every electronic goods need repairing and computer is not excluded from that list. Whenever there is any troubleshoot in this whole procedure the computer seems to function improperly. As a result we need to repair our computer to make it function properly. It is very tedious to repair ones computer and beside that it is also time consuming if the problem is unknown by the repairer. But if anyone has sound information regarding computer repair then it would seem to be rather easier. There are several organizations with trained and qualified technicians to help you out whenever you have problem with your computer. There are also various computer selling organizations who give after sell repairing service completely at free of cost. While there are other computers organizations, which have good computer technicians, provide only repairing service. Each of these companies serves their clients with best technical services. There are also different books or guidelines to provide us various information regarding computer trouble shoot and how to repair them. There are also technical colleges and training institute for technicians to learn more about computer problems and their repairing.

There are computers of various brands such as IBM, HP, Compaq, Dell, Apple etc. in the market and they differ from each other in respect of hardware and software. Therefore their troubleshooting problems also differ from each other. So the technicians should know how to repair these different computers. A good computer technician is required to familiar with various operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc. A good technician must also know how to deal with different computer peripherals such as printers, scanners, fax machines, etc.

Here are few troubleshoots of computers which are very common. They are 1) Power Supply Failure, 2) Motherboard Troubleshooting, 3) Hard Drive Failure 4), CD and DVD Drive Troubleshooting, 5) Modem Failure, 6) Sound and Game Card Failure, 7) Peripheral Failure 8) Virus Threats and many more. At first the technician need to do a complete diagnostic checkup. Then he needs follow those Basic Computer Repairing rules to repair a troubleshooting computer successfully. Beside these computer requires regular update, virus cleaning and modifications. At last we can conclude that if computers are maintained and handled properly then we can prevent our computers from various troubleshoots as we all know that 'prevention is always better than cure.'

A Closer Look at Work at Home

2009-10-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

There is no denying in the tremendous increase in the number of online businesses in the past 10 years, not only in the USA, but just about any place where computers can be accessed easily. As we all know that, among many online businesses run by good and honest people, there are some online businesses run by bad and unscrupulous people whose primary objective is to con money out of unsuspecting naive people who are desperately looking online for jobs due to their circumstances such as being a stay-home-parent with kids, wheelchair bound, or whatever their unique circumstances could be that made them think that online jobs made more sense.

I decided to look around online, about 2 years ago, after seeing so many pop-ups about home based jobs such as paid online surveys, freelance jobs, etc to see if they were another one of online schemes to rip you off. After I signed up with many of them, of course I couldn't check all, and receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of junk emails from them I was able to tell which ones were good and bad. As in real life, we have to be careful and take some precautions by finding out if there is a physical address of business or a phone number or even by checking it out on BBB.org (Better Business Bureau) online before typing in our sensitive information.

Breaking Business Plans Down to Smaller Steps

2009-10-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

Most of us know what a business plan is. We know that it includes product information, marketing strategies, financing, facilities and a customer profile. Yet how many of us know that the comprehensive report is just a piece of paper without the commitment of the owner? That’s right it is “garbage” without strong psychological traits that help to adhere to the plan. A business plan changes depending on the personality strengths of the owner.

Within the business plan it is beneficial to map out the financial budget for a certain length of time. In most businesses this plan includes all major expenses for the year. Adhering to a year plan may be difficult because they are not able to do that in their personal lives. For example, if one has a hard time saving 10% of their income how are they going to adhere to a budget that requires them to put money away for future development in their small business. The plan may include a year improvement plan but should be broken down into monthly or weekly goals so that the owner can follow it closely. Let’s say an owner wants to build additional fresh fruit space and it is going to cost him/her about 8,000 dollars. The owner hasn’t been able to put this money away for the past couple of years due to inability to stay committed. Then have them take $200 out of their earnings each week by writing a check and placing it in a box. At the end of the year they can count up the
checks, rip them up and write one big one for their expansion project.

The same applies to marketing. If an owner wants to market to everyone in his neighborhood who has children it doesn’t make sense to just state this fact and then not break it down into steps. For a small owner it may appear as though the task is too big him/her to handle. Break it down so that this month they will purchase the demographics list of homeowners with children, then the next week develop the sales letter, the third week turn it into the printer, so on and so forth.

By breaking down larger business plans into small steps small managers are more able to keep focus on building and developing their long-term goals. Both the yearly and the monthly/weekly goals complement each other. The overall business plan acts as the ultimate improvement while the monthly/weekly goals acts like the road map. It is important to remember that the ultimate achievement of goals depends on the actually personality and traits of the owner. Writing out strategies that don’t follow the normal way they work and look at life is likely to be unfulfilled.

Work Part-time -- Earn Full-time

2009-10-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

It is not the amount of hours that you put into a working day as much as the amount of work you put into the hours. Far better to plan your day so that you can maximize your resources, instead of jumping from one task to another and end up doing nothing efficiently.

You do not need a large sum of money to finance a business proposition. All you need is a good idea and the ability to put together a business plan that will convince investors that you can make money. When people are convinced that you can make money,you should have no problem getting people to invest in your proposition.

A rule you should abide by is not to keep on working for your money indefinitely. If you do this you become a slave to money. Far better to let money work for you. By investing your money in a business proposition where your returns are guaranteed, you free yourself.

Take arbitrage investment in sports betting. An arbitrage is simply the purchase of securities from one market for immediate resale to another market in order to profit from the discrepancy.

There are arbitrage opportunities in numerous markets. The one concentrated on here is the sports betting market worldwide. With the correct software this market can be exploited, giving guaranteed profits. If you know what to look for in this type of situation you can exploit the situation to give you a guaranteed profit. Coupled to the software is a FREE booklet detailing in specific detail how to exploit this market.

If the instructions in the book are adhered to the user can look forward to a guaranteed profit. There are people operating at the moment making a full time living out of arbitrage investment. This book will show you everything you need to know, to produce a very profitable and regular income from a loophole that has been brought about by the Internet and the masses of bookmakers that have sprung up and continue to do so. This loophole can never be regulated or closed down and as the Internet grows the number of opportunities this loophole will make available will multiply.

There are many reasons why bookmakers may offer wildly different odds on the same sporting event .For a start many bookmakers overstretch themselves when offering odds---they try and cover every possible market to get as many customers as possible. This is great news for us because in doing so they will sometimes offer odds on events that they have little or no expert knowledge in. For example a bookmaker in the USA may offer odds on English division football yet he knows very little about it.

Not much money is needed to get started in this business.As you progress and people begin to see that you are making a profit 100% of the time you are going to attract people to you,who are going to try and find out your secret of making money.

This is the time to start an investment club,in your own neighborhood first and let it get known. You should be making conservatively 200% monthly on the money invested with you. Give your investors a return of 10-15% monthly on their money and the rest is pure profit to you. You should by this time be operating a very profitable business on OPM (other peoples money).

Covered Patios and Home Improvement as Investment Strategies

2009-10-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

If you are a homeowner, you know how important the real estate market has become to the financial well-being and security of you and your family. Your home may well be your biggest investment, and like any other investment, it needs to be managed and protected. Unfortunately, home repairs are often put off due to costs or the inability to find a good contractor. The same goes for home improvements. The addition of, say, a covered patio may be put off when it could add to the value and enjoyment of your home.

Don't fall into the trap of neglecting home repairs and home improvements just because the real estate market is down. If you are selling, prospective buyers will be extra-critical and choose homes that are well-maintained and cared for. And in downtimes, attractive extras like sunrooms, decks, or pergolas are even more important when buyers have a large selection of homes to pick from.

Repainting a home is a great way to improve its appearance and give it what real estate agents call "curb appeal." Exterior painting isn't difficult and many homeowners do it themselves, but it can be a big and messy job. A good contractor can make things a lot easier by suggesting the proper paint for your home, showing various combination of colors and carefully selected accent colors, preparing the exterior, and then do the painting quickly and competently. Expert preparation includes power-washing and may include repairing wood, Masonite or Hardie plank siding and trim. This will guard against paint blistering, peeling or flaking later.

Windows are another area of the home that's often neglected. Most homes today have dual pane windows for extra insulation and sound proofing. Unfortunately, the seals on older dual pane windows are often leaky, resulting in condensation and residue between the panes. Leaking seals defeat the purpose of dual pane windows, and the glass becomes dull and ugly. Replacement windows quickly fix this problem. I held off doing mine because I feared it was a big, expensive construction job. Then I learned that windows can often be replaced without ripping out the frames, and found a good contractor who did the work. If you think of replacing windows, also inquire about shatterproof, tinted, tempered and colored glass.

If you have a covered patio or any other structure that attaches to your home, be sure to have a contractor check for dry rot, leaks, cracks and other damage. These things are usually easy to fix, but they can really add up to costly damage unless taken care of. Water leaks, especially, can lead to catastrophic damage. Cracks and holes may provide access for pests, so it's better to tend to that quickly.

Taking care of one's home is good business and a good investment. Whether it's creating additional curb appeal with shiny new paint or an inviting covered patio if you intend to sell your home, or simply keeping your property in good condition so that you won't incur needless repair costs later on, proactive home maintenance makes sense. Many homeowners shy away from those tasks due to costs and the challenge of finding a good, reliable contractor. Don't give up - they are out there and you'll be glad once you find a good one.

In a down-market, home maintenance and improvement is an important investment strategy. Spend the time to find a good contractor to help you.

Simple Guide to the Publishing Business

2009-09-29T00:27:00.000-07:00

Publishing is a fascinating business and the process that goes into the making of books and newspapers is an interesting one. These days, with the world of digital information and the internet upon us, the scope of publishing now also includes websites, blogs and the like.

From the business perspective, publishing isn't just printing literature or information but also the development, marketing, distribution and even promotion of the printed works. It is not as simple as it may seem.

The publishing process begins with the written work or the copy. Many aspiring and unpublished writers often submit manuscripts to publishing houses in the hopes of seeing the light of print. These end up in a slush pile which editors sift through, and the great majority of these contributions are often rejected. Usually, book and magazine publishers commission copy from known and established writers, and unsolicited works have a slim chance of getting published. The prudent thing for a writer to do to get published is to first submit a query or a proposal. It also helps if you have a literary agent who has access to major publishers.

Once a publisher accepts a work, then negotiations with the writer or his agent begin on how much to pay the writer for "intellectual property" rights and "royalty rate."

Once commercial and legal issues are settled, the next step is the editorial stage where writers are asked to rewrite or improve their manuscripts before they get to publishing editors who do further editing on the work.

The next stage is called prepress and that's where design and artwork (including photos) are decided. Other processes are typesetting, dust jacket composition, deciding on paper quality, binding method, casing as well as proofreading. Once done, the work can now proceed to printing. It is interesting to note that most major magazine and newspaper publishers have their own printing presses, but book publishers seldom do.

The publisher's work doesn't end with the publication of the book. This is followed by advertising and other marketing tasks, including distribution. There are times when the publishing process up to the printing stage is handled by a separate company or individual before selling the same to the publishing house. This is known as book packaging.

Child Care Options for the Stay at Home Business Parent

2009-09-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Working at home can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the world, but one of the biggest obstacles can come from the ones we love the most - our kids. To be successful home business owners, we must find affordable and effective child care to maximize our work at home productivity.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the stay at home business mom or dad is the kids. That screaming toddler is not going to be quiet when you have business calls or take that nap to let you get your work done. This will be the same child who will eat all of your post-its and stick food into your hard drive. As you are ripping your hair out and getting more and more frustrated you will wonder what the point of working at home was if you were going to still need childcare. You were probably envisioning no more commutes, flexible hours, and lunch with the kids’ everyday.

Your childcare options are flexible as well that is the beauty of being self-employed. Here are some of the most common affordable ways to take care of kids while you build your family's fortune from home:

(1) Childcare Co-op: Find a group of work at home parents and swap off childcare duties. You can keep track of how many hours you watch each child and use the time you accrue when you need it most. The great thing about this is it is free. The downside is that you will have to give up work time to handle other people’s children.

(2) Trading or Mom-swapping: This is the smaller version of co-op. this will involve you and a good friend trading off childcare days. Make sure you set clear boundaries about when you will take the other child and when they will take yours. You don’t want to be taken advantage of. You will also want to make sure the kids like each other and get along well. If they don’t then this will end up being a bad experience.

(3) Sitter Sharing: Share a sitter with a friend. You can have the sitter watch both kids at the same time and split the cost or use the sitter on alternate days. Make sure that you have a written agreement on how the sitter is used and what you will be paying to avoid any unseen complications.

(4) Barter: Trade your products and services with a neighbor or friend in exchange for childcare. This will keep you from spending money and still pay the person doing the care for you.

(5) Day Care: You will find that the right day care center will be a rewarding experience for both child and parent.Which day care is best is entirely up to you and beyond the scope of this article. Costs vary from center to center and from state to state. But, you will find that the return on investment will be worth it because of your greater focus and productivity.

To come up with inexpensive childcare solutions you must be a networking prowess. Spread the word that you are looking for childcare to everyone you knows. Think in terms of trading and business opportunities. You are looking for a partner in business deal. This will help you to get what you need. Some moms are lucky to have businesses that are kid friendly. They are the lucky for sure. Those ladies who have to make endless phone calls or have meetings may find that childcare of some sort is unavoidable. Try your best to get the right childcare for you and not spend an arm and a leg getting it.

Bookkeeping Accounting Software, Your Essential Requirement

2009-09-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

In the area of Bookkeeping Accounting there are many critical financial activity which has require to compulsory in the small Organization to manage it. So For that Bookkeeping Accounting Software is essential in this time to get fast work. These types of work are very time consuming because of double data entry type of work. A useful benefit to those organizations and their financial staff is the quantity to which financial data maintain in the data base can be queried for financial control purpose.

Bookkeeping services of many organizations has own bookkeeping accounting software professionals. Their expertise and experience includes handling most of the bookkeeping business accounting and financial software solutions such as:

* QuickBooks
* Peachtree
* Sage Line 50
* Quicken
* MYOB
* IRIS
* LaCerte
* Pro Tax

Financial Statements:
An accountant requires not only guarantee that the financial information is exact but also get any part of the accounting reports to reply bookkeeping accounting queries on the accounts. It is also offer a legal basis for the queries and report the financial statements at daily intervals.

But Financial Power is also required from middle level organization accounting software as the bookkeeper is often the head manager who has most important person understanding of every task. Templates are also required for reading and a perfect acquire of create a set of financial theory for tax purpose is that each inserted record is by other proof.

Accounting Software for small or middle level Business Profit:
Choose your Accounting Software for bookkeeping business but it is thing to do very carefully. Because of prefer your software will meet your most important work and your work running smoothly and improve your profit? There are numbers of bookkeeping accounting software available in the market but you have to find effectiveness, accurate and reliable from it and make your business fast. So be sure when your new business account software will purchase.

Any Bookkeeping Business requires the most important thing is Accounting Services. All process of Business has recorded carefully in day by day. For that Accounting Software is useful software for any Business to keep all your financial records and help to complete your bookkeeping accounting requirements. And generate daily, monthly and yearly reports for give you accurate future planning of your business.

If you are small Bookkeeping Business or large Business, you don’t want to hire personnel for software and want to low cost account software. For that it is best that use a web based software so you don’t worry about changing computers, storing the data and lost of data. And important thing is you can access it at any time.

A Guide to Wholesale Beads

2009-09-14T00:49:00.000-07:00

Wholesale beads are designed and developed by each and every wholesale jewel maker, and they are considered to be one of the most important works in the jewelry industry. Designs and patterns of pure metal or gold are topped with various kinds of beads. The list of different kinds of beads include swarovski crystals, cat’s eye, Czech beads, glass beads, magnetic beads, trade beads, seed beads, cabochons, natural beads, pearls, Venetian beads, bicones, acrylic beads, European beads, and sterling silver beads.

Wholesale beads are most common in a circular form with a customary hole in the center. These are designed in various shapes and varieties of beads. Long cylindrical beads are one of the popular beads. There are also rectangular or square beads, 6 faced or flat beads and also heart shaped beads. Wooden beads that are made from carving the finest quality wood pieces are used to make wholesale beads of various shapes.

Seed beads are very popular kind of beads, which are made from long hollow glass tubes called canes. These canes are chopped at varied lengths to get the desired kind and shape of wholesale seed beads. They are made of a blend using two different kinds of glass materials. Wholesale beads are usually purchased in strands. A cat’s eye bead, which is of size 4 x 6 mm and 16 inches long, can range around $2. A glass bead can cost you $0.91, whereas tube beads can cost you $1.35 a piece.

The kind of glass used for making beads easily determines the kind of bead. Wholesale beads made from Murano glass are very famous and are developed by well experienced craftsmen. Usually, the glass which is used here is melted in the open air in order to develop more attractive beads. Leaded glass or crystal is used to make various varieties of crystal beads. A high amount of lead oxide is used in the raw glass material making it hard and brilliant. They use high technology in precise cutting and polishing tools to produce wholesale beads with a great style.

Pearls are another famous kind of wholesale beads available in the market. They are shiny organic gems produced from oysters. They are classified into natural fresh water pearls and cultured pearls. They are available in various colors like white, cream, pink, blue, black and beige. A strand of fresh water pearls can range around $1.75.

Bulk Vending Machines – The Most Popular Ones With Vendors and Customers

2009-09-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

Bulk vending machines are everywhere. It is what you sell through these machines that will make or break your business. Of course, the location is important as well, but there are so many different kinds of candy and other products you can sell through the vending machines that it is hard to decide what you should start with. Candy and giant gumballs go over well, as do the bulk vending machines that sell a prize.

There are almost as many bulk vending distributors as there are products that you can sell. These distributors have different models of bulk candy machines. Some of them are single machines, but you can get combo machines where you sell three different products in one machine. The reason they are called bulk vending machines is that they can hold a lot of candy or other products, which means you don’t have to restock them as often.

Usually bulk candy machines dispense a handful of small candy. Although the candy doesn’t last very long, it is a thrill for small children to put in a quarter and receive the candy. They will often want to spend more than one quarter in the bulk vending machines because they are amazed at how it works. You will most likely see these machines where parents take small children, even though adults like the candy from the vending machines too.

Bulk vending distributors will be able to supply you with large quantities of candy for your vending machine business. The candy usually comes in 30 pound bags, so you have enough candy to refill the vending machines several times. The cost of the bulk candy is about $50 a box, which means that you will have a high rate of profit when you sell them all. The bulk vending machines of this nature are not expensive either and you can save money on your investment if you look for used bulk candy machines.

Bulk vending machines are perfect for people who want to start their own small business as a second source of income. You won’t have to service them very often, so using bulk candy machines won’t take up a lot of your time. There are very few parts that can break on these vending machines because the main components are the turning knob and the coin receptacle. When you add in the fact that they do not require electricity, business owners can easily make money on your investment when they allow you to place bulk vending machines at their place of business.

Do You Think Franchising is for Everyone?

2009-09-06T00:50:00.000-07:00

Before you start a franchise here are some things to consider. Franchising is not for everyone.

Having your own business is the American dream and, increasingly, international interest in owning a business has been building as well. There are many questions that must be answered before you consider owning a franchise or starting any business at all. Franchising is not for everyone!

The first question to ask yourself is: "Do I really have the right mindset that is required to work for myself"? The reason this question is first is because without the attitude, drive, and ability to focus on long term goals, you will not be happy owning your own business whether it be a franchise or anything else.

This is not a "get rid of the boss" and live happily ever after situation. It will require many hours hard work, much dedication, always tough decisions and, most likely, many times where you must put the business first over your own needs.

If you do not have the stomach or the drive to do this, then continue getting a regular paycheck and forget a business of your own or consider looking for more easy money making ideas on the net.

You will find your customers to be much more demanding than any boss could ever be! Along with this introspection, is the question: "How have I worked own my own in previous situations?" Is this a new or untried product or service, Do I enjoy the experience of working for myself?

The second question to ask yourself is: "Have I researched the market or field regarding the area I plan to purchase a franchise"? This must be very extensive as you want to have a good mix of the business fit being right or correct for you and a market that will support your decision.

After you have researched your desires and needs and attitudes, the next step is to address your financing issues. What amount can you comfortably afford to put down on a franchise? What will the operating expenses be? Within this thought process there are many pitfalls including employee salary, benefits, replacement training, recruiting ads, possible temporary help, government regulations for employment, accounting fees, local licensing fees, and many more costs that will need to be addressed within a start-up package plan.

You will want to check the Internet for lists and types of franchise licensors that are willing to take on new franchisees. Check the business publications such as Inc. magazine, Franchise Today or Entrepreneur to see what franchises are up and coming or those that are solid and gaining ground.

Once you have narrowed down the field you want to be in it is time to talk to the franchisor that grants the license.

The first thing to remember with a franchisor is that they are there to sell you a franchise. Even the best franchisor out there will attempt to market their product and downplay other franchises. What you want to realize here is that their goal and game is to have successful franchisees but that does not prevent them from possibly making a wrong fit with you. You are your best advocate. Keep your head and do not let their enthusiasm become overwhelming to you.

The best thing you can do for yourself after you have selected a franchisor, is to have a business attorney of your choice go over all the papers, suggest items that might need some changing to benefit you more, and general advice on whether this licensing agreement is standard in the industry. You want to avoid being locked into a franchise that offers their licensees little resources should a problem occur.

The conclusion is franchising can be a wonderful method of jumping into being into business for yourself but not by yourself. The licensor can offer many resources it might be hard to afford by yourself. They are a good source of encouragement and hand-holding when you are starting out and things seem overwhelming. Being in business for yourself can be exhilarating and franchising can be your ticket if researched thoroughly and properly.

Five Ways Blogging Can Help Your Business

2009-09-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, a diary was a deeply personal thing — a journal of thoughts and observations, kept under lock and key and often buried in a dresser drawer.

The Web has a way of changing things. Now, a diary of thoughts, observations and insight — posted on the Internet — may be a way to boost your business.
Web logs, or "blogs" as they're better known, have become a way to engage readers and potential customers of businesses big and small.

A blog is a journal posted on a Web site, updated on a regular basis and containing news, opinions, ideas and brainstorms. It might also have links to other sources of information, other Web sites and other blogs.

Many blogs cut both ways, inviting readers to post feedback on what they see. While that can apply to everything from sports and entertainment, it can also generate interest — and, ultimately, income — for your business.

No, blogs aren't for everyone. But see how they can accomplish these five basic business objectives.

1. Expose a new or little-known product or idea

For Grant Smith, blogging makes a world of sense on a number of levels. Smith operates a business that provides streaming video e-mail and related video communications products. Since many prospective clients might know little about video e-mail, Smith says his blog is a natural way to provide specifics.

"I began blogging to get established in the technology," Smith says. "It can have a positive impact for business. Readers are always looking for more ways to find out information about companies and for ways to interact."

That, in turn, can lead to a more informed customer and a more time-effective sales process. Rather than taking time to pitch your product or service to a client who may not need it, a blog supplants you as an information source. If a prospect contacts you, that's great. If not, you've wasted no time in explaining something that generates nothing in return.

2. Improve your search engine rankings

Blogging also puts you in touch with prospects in other ways. As any company with a position on the Internet realizes, Web site visitors that come via Google, MSN and other search engines can provide numerous leads. Blogs can add to the frequency with which search vehicles identify you and your company, particularly if your blog allows readers to post a response.

If done properly, blogs have a tremendous benefit relative to search engines, according to Brad Fallon, president of SEO Research, a search engine marketing firm. "With blogs that allow comments, every new post and every new comment becomes an additional Web page filled with additional keywords to be picked up by the search engine spiders," he says.

3. Position yourself as an expert in an industry or field

Blogging also can also prove an effective marketing tool to establish yourself as an authority in your field. Not only can that generate leads, it also sends a positive message about your credentials through the marketplace and also gives your business a face and a personality.

4. Influence public opinion

Blogging also allows users to bypass traditional journalistic venues and, in effect, become a publisher of their own thoughts and viewpoints. For Steve Rubel, vice president of client services at a public relations firm, blogs are also fast becoming a powerful influence on public opinion.

"Blogs have evolved into legitimate alternative sources of news on niche and micro-niche topics," Rubel says. "Anyone with a passion and dedication could become an amateur journalist. I feel some of these sites — in aggregate — are having just as much sway on public opinion as larger, more established media brands."

5. Engage in a forum openly with your customers

Just as important, blogs that solicit reader comments can provide a sense of immediacy with your customers. In one respect, that's a ready source of feedback on what you're doing right and what you need to improve.

"My blog provides a forum for customers to give feedback after plunking their money down," says Fallon. "The result? While the normal market is lucky to have one-half of 1% of customers send an unsolicited testimonial, I have already collected glowing testimonials from over 15% of my customers."

Product Links

• Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003
• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Tools

• Solution Advisor
• Product Advisor

An Easy Way to Make Your Small Business More Visible-For Free

2009-08-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

No two small businesses are alike, but most want to be like their larger counterparts in some key respects. For example, even if you own a company with only a few really great customers, you want to be visible enough to attract new customers, boost your odds of securing repeat business and do all you can to improve customer satisfaction.

The key, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is having a business Web site. The SBA's own Web site notes that the Web "levels the playing field between small business and big business" because it is such a dynamic, inexpensive medium for advertising and customer service. "The Internet is making it possible for small- to medium-sized businesses to compete with the big guys," the SBA said.

Conventional wisdom says that any business without a Web presence these days is at a distinct disadvantage, but the latest International Data Corporation (IDC) small-business research exposes a surprising gap. The IDC research found that of the 6.8 million businesses in the United States with fewer than 10 employees, only 3.8 million have a Web site. "That means 3 million U.S. small businesses-or 44 percent of the total-aren't using the Internet to promote themselves online or engage customers and prospects," said Ray Boggs, vice president of Small/ Medium Business and Home Office Research at IDC. "In today's connected world, companies that take that step generally find that having their own Web site can deliver a significant opportunity to grow their business, especially if the site is updated regularly."

Clearly, small businesses (and many of their customers) are online, yet more than half aren't exploiting the full power of what the Internet can do to help build their business. That power includes creating a dynamic Web site to attract and retain customers, taking advantage of search engines to heighten awareness of a company in today's global marketplace, and communicating with customers around the clock or at their convenience.

What stops small businesses from stepping up to this level? For many, the barriers are cost, complexity and inconvenience. By its nature, a small business typically has a small budget and an equally small staff. Unlike the larger companies it competes with, a small business generally can't afford to spend thousands of dollars to buy a server, create a complicated infrastructure and hire an IT technician to keep it all running smoothly.

The good news is that some new offerings are cropping up that allow you to establish a Web presence without heavy-duty in-house technical resources and a big cash outlay. For example, Microsoft Corp. has a new Internet-based service called Microsoft Office Live, which at the most basic level provides a small business with a domain name, e-mail accounts and a Web site for free.* It's one of the quickest and easiest ways today to get your business on the Internet. And, because it's supported by advertising revenue, and the advertising is designed to be unobtrusive and not appear in the customer's public-facing Web sites, the basic offering is free, and you can sign up to test-drive the service at http://www.officelive.com.

"I need an attractive, easy-to-navigate Web site that I can update frequently and efficiently. With Office Live, I can create a slide show of a sailboat race and have it online before the boats even get back to the dock," said Elizabeth T. Becker, a freelance writer and photographer and owner of Seaport Photography. "That means I get to spend less time in front of my computer and more time behind my camera. It's smooth sailing."

With such an all-in-one solution, a small-business Web site really is a no-brainer. Look at it this way: In a day and age when the majority of Americans use the Internet regularly, it's highly likely that a large percentage of your customers do, too.

Are You Already Marketing On The Internet?

2009-08-28T00:13:00.000-07:00

Take a moment to think about how you would really answer this question. If given enough thought just about any business owner who utilizes the Internet for any purpose will likely find that whether or not they intentionally organized an Internet marketing campaign, they may already be marketing their products and services on the Internet. This article will examine some subtle ways business owners may already be marketing their business on the Internet.

Do you have a website for your business? Business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their products or services online just by virtue of the fact that they have a website online. Having a live website means there is the potential for curious Internet users to access your website. You may not be actively promoting your website but you may still find that your website generates interest in your products despite the lack of promotional endeavors; this is a form of passive marketing.

Do you participate in message boards and include a link to your website in your signature? Again business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their website online. Savvy business owners realize the importance of participation in industry related message boards to create an interest in their products and services, establish themselves as knowledgeable about the industry and offer a link to their own website even if it is in the signature line of their posts. However, even business owners who do not realize this may already be inadvertently enjoying the benefits of Internet marketing which result from message board participation just by doing something they enjoy and may be doing as a form of leisure activity.

Do you include keywords which are relevant to your business in the content of your website? Business owners who answer yes to this question are also already marketing on the Internet by optimizing their website for these keywords. These search engine optimization (SEO) affects the websites whether or not they were even aware of the concept of keyword density and how it can help to SEO a website. Business owners will likely use certain words often depending on the type of products and services they offer just because it is natural and logical to do so. This tendency, however, can result in search engines boosting your website rankings for these particular keywords. The concept of SEO is much more involved and complex than simply using keywords frequently but business owners can gain some benefit just by naturally applying relevant keywords to their website.

Do you solicit feedback from your customers online? This is yet another example of how business owners may be accidentally marketing their business on the Internet. Most business owners realize the importance of soliciting feedback from customers for business purposes and business owners who offer products online might solicit feedback in the form of online surveys. Although the business owners may be doing this simply for a business purpose the fact that it is done online makes it fall into the category of Internet marketing.

We have already discussed several ways in which business owners may already be marketing online but what about business owners who want to have an increased online presence? Business owners who may already be marketing online accidentally may wish to launch a full scale Internet marketing campaign. The best way to do this is to hire a consultant with experience in Internet marketing to assist you in creating a campaign which is effective for your target audience.