Think about the times when a new product came along and yet it took a while for you to embrace it. As time passed and you finally got used to the new and improved way of doing things, you eventually got a laugh or two out of how you resisted it.

Yes I said resisted it. Maybe not consciously but you definitely failed to change with the times at the rate they were changing. Example?

How about the calculator? Yes if you are old enough you are laughing right now. You, like me, are recalling moments when you were doing your check book going over the numbers with a painstaking attention to details. Checking and double checking to make sure it all “adds up”. And then suddenly ………………….

You look up and there it is sitting on your desk top. It’s that thing they call a calculator. After a big sigh and hand slap to your head you think to yourself “I know, why don’t I use this machine designed to do all of this for me”. And there you have it.

In time, after repeating the above scenario a few times too many, you have your calculator ready to go and with you immediately when it’s time to balance the old checkbook.

Or how about the good old days when you still used your typewriter to work up some documents? And then if and when you needed copies you went to a local store that offered copy services or had a copy machine for your needs. The awkward moment came when you realized how much easier and convenient the word processing program was in your home computer. Not to mention the convenience of a printer connected to that computer.

Yes even in the days of crude processing and a dot matrix printer it was so much faster and easier than the typewrite and copy routine. However, again like me, there were times you were on your typewriter and at some point you thought “why am I not using the computer?” went off in your mind.

Face it we could make a list of things and circumstances like this where it took time before you thought of the latest technology or concept as your first option. In fact it takes some people longer than you would think possible. The Internet is no different.

For instance think about the number of people who still use dial up for their Internet connection. No kidding. While even those among us who are at the back end of the change group consider dial up as archaic and obsolete there are still many who use it nevertheless.

Seriously this happens. Let me give you an interesting comparison. The digital scene burst onto the scene over 20 years ago. By the late 1990’s the idea of a digital only broadcast was inevitable. At one point the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), a broadcaster regulating commission in the United States decided to pick a time when all broadcasting signals would be in digital only. They chose Feb 2009 as the time when all signals would be digital.

This would have a major impact because there were still many people who still had a television that received an analog signal. And an analog TV will not receive and display a digital signal.

Now keep in mind the advent of cable TV had long been established and millions gradually embraced it. Similar to the examples of technology we used as examples earlier in our discussion. However tens of thousands had still not switched over. In fact some people procrastinated so much that the FCC even bumped the deadline back to June 2009 because of such an outcry from the procrastinators.

Just to spice the story up a bit, I should also point out that the US Government offered a $40 voucher toward the purchase of a device that would convert the digital signal so that your old TV could show a digital broadcast. So you didn’t even have to buy a new TV, you could just buy the “box”. The lesson?

There are always many among us that are slow to change or worse yet slow to take advantage of change. Now I am not saying that change for change sake is good. However we all need to learn when change is good. So what should this mean to you?

Ironically there are many, including some really smart people, who are not in full stride with the digital world. Many of us are not thinking of the Internet in the mindset that we should. Some of us are excited about the Internet or except that it is valuable but we are not on full board. And I can’t figure out why.

The million dollar question is not how do you view the Internet, it is does the Internet enter your mind immediately when we are conducting a business?

I address this question first to people who do not consider their business as an Internet business. In your business maybe your terrestrial store, publication, or service demands your approach first, as it should. Frankly in the times we live the Internet aspect should naturally be included. I am still surprised at the amount of businesses that discount the Internet presence.

Case in point I just saw an interview with a famous musical artist from Ireland name Van Morrison. Born in 1945, and getting into the music industry as early as the late 1950’s. George Ivan Morrison became globally know over time and has had some very popular hits. In this interview however he was very uninterested in the Internet aspect of music sales. He even said he had no plans of renewing his contract with download giant I-tunes. Morrison was adamant about “not being a download act”. Whatever that means.

Now he did claim that downloads made up a very small portion of his music sales, which is not a surprise for a few reasons. 1- his attitude tells you he puts absolutely no thought into how to be a download artist and 2 – he sees the Internet as beneath him in some way or that the Internet is evil in some way and 3 – his career was past its peak when the download market exploded

Honestly I believe he is missing the point. Times change Van Dude, you don’t sell much vinyl anymore either but that doesn’t stop you from selling good old fashion records. And you sold 8 track, cassettes and then CD’s featuring your music, what is wrong with taking it to the digital market with the same aggressiveness?

Part of the problem also is apparently as he got older he stopped buying music so he thinks his fans are like him I guess. For in the interview he swore that he only listens to music that predated and/or influenced him, which is clearly his prerogative. But really Van. Lighten up my man and let the youngsters enjoy your tunes in the format they prefer?

In the end, Van can do whatever he wants as any other business person can. And Van has made a nice living despite his wise or unwise business decisions. However you may not want to agree with Van the Man when it comes to the Internet.

The fact is the Internet is prominent and only carving a deeper trench into society. You will have to get on board eventually so why not get on board full steam now?

Yes, take some time and re-examine your Internet approach and your Internet presence. Don’t just gloss it over like many do. The fact is if you are, you are missing the digital impact and potentially the ability to maximizing your market.

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My dad often tells me how he had some nice shares of some stock that he sold that later went through the roof in the 1980’s & 1990’s. Of course in the late 1950’s and 1960’s most people did not consider the potential of those stocks. Frankly many stockholders did not envision the skyrocketing growth that occurred.

And of course there other variables that prevented him from keeping his investments in hold. At the time he needed the small return that was gained at the time. Which he has no regrets about. But there is a lesson to be learned from all of this and the many similar life experiences that are related to finance and business.

So let’s take the lesson and apply it to our Internet business. In fact the Internet adds a variable or two to the mix. How’s that? Before we get to that let’s review the overall lesson and how it relates to our Internet business.

Using my dad’s story as the object lesson here the message or principle is clear. #1: you must make sound decisions in the present and add #2: consider the realistic potential of the future.

#2 is the part that my dad regrets. Although he made sound decisions in the present he wishes he had spent more time calculating the changes that were ahead. He wishes he had developed a longer range plan to account for the now and the future.

This is important in our Internet business. Regardless of what our niche, market, or area of expertise we clearly need to work for the best immediate results but also have a long range plan. Now some of you are saying right now “no kidding goof ball, who doesn’t know that?”

The reality is my dad said the same thing back when. Yes understanding the concept of planning ahead and planning ahead are two different things. Think about it.

For one there is that point we made about the added variables the Internet brings. Part of the long range plans need to constantly be given contingency plans and/or adjustments. Why? Because the Internet is still evolving. And as much as we try to project what is coming we will never foresee everything that is coming.

That said the more we learn about the Internet and what its capacity is now, the more accurate we can be about where it is heading. With that in mind be ready for the changes as they come. What does all this mean?

What it means is that you should literally write out a series of goal and strategies. You should have a plan for the month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 year, and 5 years out. No really, you should. Notice that you are making goals and strategies. What’s the difference?

The fact is that you will probably not reach all of your goals but you should have a high success rate with your strategy. Yes your goals are things you wish to attain or a level to reach. Your strategy is how you are going to get there and more. Your strategy will also include the grunt work of your business. Yes details are important.

And part of that will include analyzing the present state and the potential future state of the Internet and your business. How can you prepare for the growing Internet? What can you do now to make the transitions seamless?

Successful people are not usually surprised by the future they are usually changing with it. Of course there is a need for patience and practicality. Do not try and manipulate or guess the future. Yes there is always risk with some parts of business. Certainly the example we used of the stock market is proof of that. But the stocks that my dad refers too were very predictable in many ways. I am not suggesting that anyone could have foreseen the extent of the rise in the stock. But there is no question that the companies involved had a clear path of many years of growth in front of them.

Now the Internet is not risky at all. The specific business you are in will have its own degree of risk and gain. You need to figure that out. It really comes down the more you put in the more you get out. But that has the reality of being organized with it.

Just starting out in your Internet business? Have you had a web page for a while and you aren’t happy with the results? Or maybe you have yourself a nice Internet business and you just want to keep it going or develop it more?

Then take time to regularly write out your plans of attack. Again make specific goals and strategies for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years out. And follow them as well as adjust them as needed. Make sure you allow study time for following the trends of your business and the Internet is general. Make note of certain patterns that point to future change and possibilities.

And the end of the day don’t get caught saying “if I only knew then”.

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Have you ever got to that point when you stop and ask yourself “so should I keep doing this or not?” The fact is that everyone has and we all will a few more times in our life. It’s the inevitable “is it worth it” moment.

And what makes this question and the answer to it so important is that we all know that time is of essence. We all know that it has been said that “time is money”.

So what if we are investing our time and perhaps even our hopes of making money on an Internet business? How do we know if it is merely a matter of waiting it out only to fail or if it is an investment? Can we know the answer to that question?

First of all one thing that we do know is that there are many among us out there who are successful in the Internet business industry. And there are certain consistencies that we have to accept and understand. Here are the main ones you should be aware of. To be successful in any Internet Business you must know and apply these methods.

• SEO or Search Engine Optimization is a must. This entails having a working knowledge of the Internet and how to make the most of marketing through maximizing the search engine process.
• Web Site marketing. Going beyond the search engine you can market your web site by other proven methods. It will include applications of concepts like affiliate marketing, traditional advertising, cross promotions, email promoting, on air interview promotions, and so on are some of them.
• Using a variety of Internet tools like HTML. It is not mandatory to use all the technology and methods available but you should know your options and which tools could be most effective.
• Know your business and your target audience.
• Be patient and have realistic goals.

So if you are not doing and applying these applications then you are wasting your time. You are playing a useless waiting game. Very few things in life just develop automatically on their own. Think about it for a moment. Take something as basic as a child growing up.

A child is born and put into the care of preferably his or her parents. The reality is that a child that is born will grow physically without much help from anyone and they will naturally learn some lessons in life from observation and experience. However it is ultimately going to depend on the nurturing and guiding care of those responsible as to what kind of adult this child will develop into. Yes the more patience, loving care, timely discipline, and mature guidance the child receives over there malleable years the more successful the child will become. In the end it will have been an investment and not a cross your finger meaningless waiting game.

Elementary speaking this is the way you need to approach your Internet business. Like it’s your baby! You can’t expect your child to go from birth to walking in a couple days. It takes most children about a year before they start taking their own steps.

Ironically many thriving Internet entrepreneurs will tell you that it will take at least a year before things start to show progress in your Internet business. Let me be clear that is not some kind of rule. Many people have made money fairly quickly and others have taken longer than a year. I just threw that in there because it seems to be an overall average.

The basic point is not to fixate on a date or a specific amount of time however. Nevertheless you should realize that time is needed. Time is part of the investment. Beware! Time can also be wasted if you do not invest the appropriate amount of time into the things mentioned above.

This is where it gets complicated to a small degree. Depending on what type of Internet pursuit you are cultivating you may have to decide if it is worth investing some money in addition to your time. And that is a difficult question to answer. Because the spirit may be willing but the wallet may be weak.

One way to resolve this issue is to realize that all business require some sort of financial commitment. Usually an Internet business doesn’t demand nearly the amount of capital of other small businesses. What if it is a matter of being broke? And we all know what that feels like.

The key is identifying how much resources are needed. It may not be a lump sum. That would be another factor to put into the decision process. Then what?

First of all once you determine a ball park figure of what kind of financial commitment is involved then you have to examine your financial standing. At this point it may be a matter of doing the best you can with the little resources you have, which may be nothing at all. But that’s okay. Do the best you can with the methods that do not cost you anything and pour your heart into it.

Of course in the meantime you can develop ways to earn investing capital or become a better money saver with the goal of putting away some money to apply toward an investment in the future. Maybe you can find sponsors or investors? Nonetheless do not give up or let the lack of money at present to let impatience and discouragement set in. It’s just a matter of investing more time, which by the way will still produce results, again, if you use your time judiciously and efficiently of course. And as you get some money together to invest be prepared to apply it to the most productive use.

Imagine 13 months from now. You have your Internet business going and your web site has been up for some time. Things are going a little slow and the results seem lackluster. Is it really worth it to keep going? Am I wasting my time waiting for something that isn’t going to happen? Or is this part of an investment that is building a rewarding Internet business?

The answer to that can be more than answered. It can be determined by you.

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How many times have you watched an infomercial and said to yourself “yeah right I bet that product does that”?

Objectively speaking, the over the type cheezy sales pitch is an attack style ad hoping to influence a compulsive and impulsive buyer to phone an order in immediately. And the philosophy is to “get the sale anyway you can”. And it is often successful.

But when the product falls far short of customer expectations and/or the purchase experience is disappointing, you are establishing a “doomed to fail” scenario for yourself. No one can survive being “less than advertised” over the long haul. Yes you can make some money initially but the lack of professionalism is going to catch up and bite you in the buttocks. Is this what you want?

Sadly it appears you have this type of approach going on in the Internet recruiting scene. For example many subscription or member sites offer recruiters a “finders” fee for getting people to join their site. Of course there is nothing wrong with this. There is often a problem however.

Too often these sites do not meet expectations and leave people very upset and out of a few bucks. The site often makes promises that simply are not realistic or the site has a theme that does not meet the initial description. At times included in this scenario is the difficulty of terminating your subscription. Sadly that’s not all.

Usually linked to these experiences is an unprofessional effort in the recruiting style, everything from false and/or misleading statements to spamming sprees. There are even extreme examples of people resorting to hacking into your Internet server and intercepting your efforts to go to a desired site and sending you to sites that they may be receiving pay per click compensation for. That is obviously sinking to one of the lowest levels possible to recruit people to a web site. And at times the sites are of a racy nature, as in pornographic, which many enjoy but many do not. So it is nice to have chosen the site as compared to being taken there against our will.

But it does not have to get that level to be considered unprofessional as we have already explained. So the question what are your recruiting practices?

There are of course various levels and multiple types of recruiting too. Naturally if you are involved in corporate recruiting you already know how important it is to put your professional foot forward. But it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder and examine our approach to be sure we are doing just that.

So ask yourself “am I” thorough in my research of potential recruits? Do I give the recruit accurate and enthusiastic presentations? Am I aware of the market trends and market values? Do I have creative and unique ways of making recruits feel wanted and needed? Do I call back when I say I am going to? Do I keep appointments? Do I avoid cut throat measures to lure a recruit?

And, for the Internet recruiters trying to sell a subscription to a web page: What do you really know about the site or sites you are trumpeting? Is lying to people or misleading people really worth $20? Is leading people to a frustrating and difficult experience worth making a few bucks? How much do you know about spam? Do you realize how short lived any so called success will probably be? Do you realize that eventually people will know what you are you and whatever limited success you have will dry up?

Now in the cases that we are talking about legitimate sites there is even more reason to be on top of our game. How well do you understand marketing? Do you separate yourselves from the weasel recruiters? Do you offer accurate and exciting information? Do we lay out short and long range goals that are realistically attainable? Do we avoid the lie of you will get rich from this guaranteed? Do we make guarantees that just aren’t likely?

For example let’s say you discuss the site or sites you are recruiting for on a forum. Do you explain the value of a site in a professional manner? Or do you go the lazy infomercial style route of “this is the greatest site ever” or “get rich quick from this site” style? Do you imply people should trust you just because?

Remember people are inundated with dead end proposals so they are rightfully leery of yours if you do not professionally represent yourself and the site or sites. And for those who are not used to the sale pitches out there you have the opportunity to give them the real deal. You can show them the good and professional side of the Internet and the wonderful advantages of the World Wide Web!
Plus don’t you want to make wise use of your time? Don’t you want to try and raise the value of your time? While it is true that the more people you expose to your message may increase the opportunity of a response, the fact is it is more than just numbers. It is a mix of quantity and quality!

Don’t just get “a” message out. Get “the” message out there. A professional message. Build a professional and meaningful reputation. If you do this professionally, then even a simple site will get a loyal following. Of course you have to professionally apply a wise marketing plan along with your professionalism.

So recruiters look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself “am I a pretender or a contender?” Am I a professional? If you continue to tweak and fine tune your professional approach you will be a successful recruiter.

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Picture this. You have been traveling over the hill side and through the winding worn in trails of the forest. Your horses are taking you and your family from your farm to the closest town. As you approach the gate of entry you see people coming and going as life in the town is bustling.

The excitement is now building as you enter the town. Riding through the main street you see crowds of people wondering through the marketplace. They are buying any number of things from the local vendors. Farmers have brought in produce and grains, the blacksmith has horse shoes and furnace tools, some women are displaying quilts and clothing materials, and on and on. People are buying and selling all around you.

In fact from the days currency became a part of society people have been buying and selling things. The amazing thing is however that the Main St or Town Square has grown into a global community all because of the Internet. Add that with the effective delivery capability and you have yourself an open marketplace.

In order to be successful as an e-tailor you also need to maintain a proper degree of professionalism. Even in the picture we painted above those vendors worked hard at earning a reputation of giving good services and offering quality products.

Okay so you have your web page operating and you are selling products on line. How can you be professional?

For starters how does you web page look? Is it easy to follow? Does it show you put some thought into it? Can I tell pretty quickly what you are? Yes a brief description of who are you and what you do is always a professional approach.

Are your products easy to sift through? Do you offer simple descriptions of your products? Is the price clear? Is the information accurate? Too often people find things on line only to find they don’t have it anymore. It is important to keep your site up to date.

Are your delivery methods clearly stated? Are all the options well stated? Are you 100% on top of your deliveries? Do you have top notch and reliable delivery procedures? Will the product arrive when you say it will?

How about your return policies? Are they easy and reasonable? Are you a pleasant experience to deal with?

Are you available for questions or problems? I cannot believe the amount of sites that do not provide email or phone numbers in plain site. Your customer shouldn’t have to waste hours trying to resolve a problem. Of course there is nothing unprofessional about providing an FAQ section on your web page. Oftentimes people can resolve or answer their own question by visiting the frequently asked questions. But some people want to speak to or correspond with the people who sold them the product. And why shouldn’t they be able to?

While many of these things may appear to be common sense the fact is it helps to have a reminder now and again to be a professional and remember what it is like to be a consumer. After all they are giving you there money.

So don’t forget things like having a simple payment procedure and not misrepresenting anything about you or your products. Remember you can form a bond that may lead to many more sales if you are professional and accommodating. Return sales are a significant part of retail in fact. And return sales are largely based on customer satisfaction. So it is undeniably worth giving your site and your business practices the professional touch.

Ironically this will also set you apart from your competition. Because just as sure as we are encouraging you to be more detailed and professional there are many who do not think it matters or that it is important. They will continue to let down their customers and present themselves in a uncaring manner and wonder why they are not doing well. Or they will be too lazy to take a few moments here and there to review our business methods.

But you don’t have to be like that. Hopefully you won’t be. Hopefully this article will motivate you to maintain a professional image. And don’t kid yourself into thinking that it takes an extraordinary effort to follow through with this plan of action. Because it really doesn’t.

In all honesty it usually is a result or mixture of knowledge and caring. Do you possess both?

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Have you ever wonder just how many articles and blogs are written each day? Honestly no one really knows. I have read that in recent studies some claim perhaps 50,000,000 a day. And I am not exactly sure where the line between blog and article cross or separate.

But the number is really not that important and the fact is the number is gigantic. But how many are being read and how many are having an impact? That too is impossible to measure in some ways, although there are tracking programs that can give you an idea if you were to type in a specific site. So to get a number of each site and the posts that are on it would never happen.

So what does this mean to article and/or blog writers? Well frankly the totality doesn’t matter. What should matter is whether you are being read.

Some may ask however, “if there are so many millions of things to read, doesn’t that affect whether my posts are being read?” Logically speaking, yes that is true. Practically speaking, you can’t worry about that, but, there is something you can do about it though.

“Really?”

Really, really! Regardless of if your writing is a fun hobby, a side job/project, or a job you can do things to help your cause. And it can be summed up in one word: Be Professional.

“I don’t work for a news organization” you say ? Or you may say “I am not qualified to be a professional”.

While in a technical sense this may be true that is not what being professional means in the bigger picture. Yes you may not have a degree in journalism or be an English major. That does not mean you can’t be a professional in your writing and blogging.

Now depending on how serious you are, you may give careful thought to taking writing and writing related education. But that is only part of being professional in your Internet writing and blogging. It is a collective effort and concept.

Being a professional Internet writer and blogger is a matter of doing all the things that are necessary to get your article or blog on line and presenting it in an inviting manner. Of course there are levels of marketing that are important also.

So ask yourself, how thorough am I in seeing my writing all the way through from writing, presentation, to marketing? Do I write the best article I can? Do I review the creativity level, the relevance, and the captivating power of your writing? Do I make an honest effort to use good grammar and proper spelling? Do I work at my craft?

Do I understand the options I have of where to place my writing? Do I know that there options? What do I know about the Internet and putting up a web site? How do you market a web site and/or your article? Where do you learn how?

Do I realize that being professional will make me standout, even among the millions of other writers ? What more can I do to be professional in my Internet writing and blogging?

Remember beyond improving as a writer, focus on consistency, being fresh and current, relevant, accurate, interesting, creative, detailed oriented, do the small things, and stay on top of the entire strategy. While it is perfectly okay and normal to write for your own expression and enjoyment, readers will respond if you do it for them also.

And honestly that is part of the challenge and fun of writing, knowing how to balance the two. You need to look at a potential audience as customers. Your writing is a product. It is a form of entertainment. True people read to gather information they ultimately read to enjoy the experience.

In order for them to enjoy your writing they need to know it exists. That means you need to know how to make that happen. Then they need to be lured in with a pleasing presentation. That can be on your site or another appropriate site. Last but not least the article needs to be well thought out and well written.

You know what? This may seem like a daunting list of boring and arduous tasks but it really doesn’t have to be that way. Being professional is more rewarding than many realize. And you can do it. You will be glad that you did to!

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Remember the old song titles signs? The basic point was not to judge people solely on their appearance. Each verse gave a scenario to help drive home the point.

For example on verse is about a sign that says Help Wanted and that long hair freaky people need not apply for the job. And the fictitious verse continues by saying that a long hair gentleman tucked his long hair up into a hat and went in to apply for the job. He apparently gets hired and then he reveals his long hair, as if to suggest that the company would have not hired the same guy if he did not hide his hair.

There is naturally some truth that you can’t judge people by their looks. However at the same time the song fails to communicate another reality. You cannot deny that we are sending out a message about ourselves by how we present ourselves.

So whether we like it or not people are going to respond to the way we present ourselves to them. The same is true in our Internet business. Regardless of if we are relying on that business for our bread and butter or if it is just a hobby.

Take the making and selling of Arts and Crafts for instance. Clearly there are many people doing this full time but just as clearly as there are many doing this for a hobby. Regardless the question is, what do you want out of it?

Of course it is safe to assume you are looking to have fun. And that is fine. Even if that is the only thing you want out of it. It is likely though that if you have gone to the point of selling your items than you have moved beyond the fun only motive. After all, if it is purely for fun only why bother trying to sell your items?

That said by selling your items it may allow you to get more involved with your hobby or it may turn out to be a nice income. So why not analyze your approach to the whole project. Are you getting the most out of it?

Chances are that many of you could gain so much more just by polishing up your presentation. Yes be more professional. Which by the way, does not mean you have to be a full blown company. It simply means putting a vibe out there that you care about what you do and you are thorough with how you do it.

It means in your case that you will be attentive to what people want. You will try and accommodate orders and have them done when you say it will be done. You will also have no problems getting them their purchase in a timely and reasonable fashion.

It means you are not going to come across like you are doing them a favor and that is really a burden on you to sell them an item. It means you are going to answer questions as well as you possibly can. You will be honest with them also.

For example if you can’t do something for them you will unashamedly tell them you do not feel that you can deliver what they want. Or you could offer a possible compromise or alternative. Nevertheless you will be absolutely sure that you are going to get them something they will want and enjoy.

It goes without saying if you are honest and reliable you will not misrepresent yourself or anything you do. Your web site and web information should be easy to follow and up to date. I can’t tell you how shocked I am at the companies who don’t keep there web site current. And guess what? I don’t buy anything from them. For starters I wonder if that reflects their attitude on other things.

And so it goes with all of these things. Sure there are people who probably don’t care enough to be turned off but why take that chance? Why not separate yourself from the other companies that are lazy and sloppy about there work?

Now some wonder will this suck the fun out of doing it? Does it take away from my personality? If the answer is yes to either of these I would love to hear someone explain how. Be professional is not being robotic or deceptive. Deceptive as in looking the part. Because both of them are unprofessional.

In fact don’t bother putting out the right vibe if you truly are not going to finish the experience. Have some pride in your craft and in your field. The reality is as the rewards increase so will your fun!

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“Can you give me a hand?”

Isn’t a great feeling to be able to come to someones rescue? Especially when it is an area of your expertise. And guess what? You don’t have to sit around and hope someone needs your help. Because the landscape is chock full of people who need your help. Especially via the Internet. That is your cue.

Yeah, we live in a do it yourself world and there are plenty of assistance programs. But in the end there is still quite a demand for virtual assistants and independent freelance services.

The fact is that more and more companies are turning to VA’s or contractors. For many this is a way to cut the expense of an in house staff. It also allows for the hiring of someone who specializes in the area of work that needs to be done.

Hiring a VA brings many benefits all around. Overall the bottom line is you usually get a professional result and you do not have all the obligations that go with having an employee. And the fact that VA’s can do much of their work via the Internet opens the market. You can offer your services worldwide for instance. And vice versa, companies can seek VA help from the world over at competitive pricing.

Considering that the VA covers areas from word processing, database management, and Internet research to medical and/or legal transcription gives you an idea of the scope of the business. But that is not all. Many VA’s do things like email marketing, bulk mailings, reminder services, information processing, and the like. And many are adept in web design and development. And then you have VA’s that provide event planning and meeting set ups including Internet meetings.

And there are VA’s that provide desktop publishing, editing, writing, and bookkeeping services. The best part is that if you capsulize all of this together you can see why the demand is growing for most of these services. Yes the stock is up in the Virtual Assistance and Independent Freelancer.

According to some reports I saw, VA’s claim to make an average of $25 an hour. Of course that varies on what services you provide and the area in which you are providing such services. For example a company in New York City will probably be prepared to pay more than a company in Fargo, North Dakota. And it may also depend on you competition to some degree.

For example if a company is Internet savvy and regularly uses Internet VA’s from around the world they will have a broader base to draw from. And people from various countries will desire an income relative to the country they live in.

For instance I have a friend from Florida, USA that uses a Virtual a digital illustrator from Argentina. For starters he is very, very good and he is very reasonable because he is from Argentina. Of course all of this is part of the learning curve of using and being a VA or any other type of independent Internet service provider.

The irony of this business is that the changing and fluctuating economy is pointing a neon arrow into the direction of hiring a VA. And for those who understand what it means to be a professional you will stick out even more so.

Yes the harsh reality is that a percentage of people offering virtual assistance are lazy, unreliable, and have a poor work ethic. This only makes the professional all the more desired and sought after.

Hey don’t take my word on this. Take some time and do a little search engine search of your own. See how the VA market has expanded.

Which leads us to another angle. You successful VA’s out there you may be missing out on an opportunity. Yes do you know there are qualified and top notch workers out there that are bad at finding work. And here you are turning work down because, well, you are just one person. LIGHT BULB!

Why not find some of those valued workers and sub out some work to them. You can make a few greenbacks just for getting them work. And check this out. When you want to take some time off you will have someone or someones to farm out some work to so that you don’t get behind or totally lose out on income! Yeah baby!
You see how all of this comes together? It’s a virtual no brainer. You just need to do your homework and also upgrade your skill set to fit the demand or demands. Oh and there are plenty of places to get the training needed as well as how to learn to market your services.

So giddy up VA’s and get a move on!

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“When in Rome, do as the Romans do!” You’ve heard that expression haven’t you? What does that even mean?

In a nutshell it is actually a compliment of sorts. You basically are demonstrating that you picked up on a custom and you jump in on the action. It is kind of like saying “I want to be a part of your experience. So I am sharing in your culture.”

And there are many applications of this old adage as well as some good times had when we apply it. Practically speaking we sometimes pick up on these idiosyncrasies because it is perceived as appealing or perhaps successful and/or beneficial. Sometimes a practice or custom that started in one region can even spread abroad and become universally embraced.

This happens all the time in business. We live in a copy cat world as a matter of fact. Today we are going to consider how this has happened in the E-commerce industry.

How high is the stock now for E-commerce? Oh it’s very strong and rising. Everyone from individuals and their small web store to major retailers and manufacturers are using the Internet. Does that make it big?

Here is the skinny my web friends. In the USA a tradition started many years ago that has been dubbed Black Friday. I am sure most people have heard of it. If not, let me bring you up to speed real quick.

For many years the Christmas shopping season was considered officially started after the Thanksgiving holiday. Every year Thanksgiving is on the 4th Thursday of every November. Many retailers found that on the Friday after the Thanksgiving (the following day) was so successful that it often put there yearly sales in the black in there accounting books! Thus Black Friday marked the beginning of profit making for the commerce world. It blossomed into where stores now traditionally offer unique sales and quirky promotions to kick start the shopping season.

But again this was all predicated by a successful pattern that had been set. Well for the last 2 or 3 years the retail industry in the USA now promotes the Monday that immediately follows Thanksgiving as Cyber Monday. This means that on that Monday special “Black Friday” like promotions are featured for On -line shopping. This season many retailers turned it into a Cyber Week campaign. Honestly it appears as if they made a bigger push for the On line sales than they did for the conventional shopping.

They would not bother if they did not see the success and the potential for even more success. Yes many stores are really benefiting from On line stores. What about for the independent E-tailer?

Make no mistake about it the Indie on line store merchant is also cashing in on this trend toward more on line purchasing. In fact in some ways the Internet helps the little guy not seems as little. You aren’t Wal-Mart but when people surf the web they don’t care how big your store or warehouse is.

Plus the convenience is a major magnet to the Internet for shopping. If your bored or sick at home or taking a break at work the Internet is right there. And we all know how easy it is to type in a search for a specific item. But wait there’s more.

It is also very easy to type in for ideas or suggestions for purchases. For a wedding, party, holiday, anniversary, just for the heck of it, or a “honey I screwed up gift”. And it is so much less stress to search on-line than to be bothered by a sales person in a store.

Think about it as silly as it is many people are guilted or pressured to purchase items they can’t really afford but on line you don’t care. You don’t have to face people and feel like you have to explain why you bought the cheaper model. And travel time is cut out for the shopper!

And taking things back or returning them? No problemo. If it is chain store you can just mail it back or bring it to the local store. If it is an Indie on line store returns are all part of the gig.

So in review what do we have here? Okay I sort of went in and out of the perspective of the shopper and the merchant. However I was trying to give the 360′ degree view of the E-commerce business. The fact is the advantages for the shopper means rising stock in the E-commerce market. The more incentive the shopper has the more people will shop on line and more frequently they will do it.

And you the on line merchant, what can you do? When in Rome do as the Romans do? Learn from established on line stores and use your inner shopper to help develop some shopping incentives. Make it easy as possible and inviting for people to patronize your on line store. Don’t be intimidated by the Big Boys and Girls. Remember on line you can roar just as loud if you want to or execute a sound marketing strategy.

So by all means when selling on line do as the on line sellers do! The stock is up in the E-commerce realm and it isn’t coming down.

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So there you are out on a date with a wonderful woman who frankly is not that physically stunning. She has a cute face, but it’s her bubbling personality and her genuine inner beauty that has captured your heart. As a result she is looking better to you everyday.

At dinner a quiet moment presents itself and you want to compliment her. You have already told her this evening how nice she is dressed and how it enhances her beautiful face. You have swooned her with remarks about her charm and you just want to lay one more solid encouraging note that she can see that you think things are looking up.

Without thinking however and the pressure building you blurt out the words “hey I am amazed at how little you sweat for a fat chick”. Right at that moment you have the look of “oh my lord please tell me I didn’t just say that out loud”.

Ironically to your pleasant surprise she bursts into laughter and says to you “that is incredible how you can feel so good about us that you can joke about my weight!”

Suddenly you realize wow things really are looking up! When it comes to your relationship, your friendship, and your romance your stock is up and it’s rising! And who can’t be inspired and motivated by that?

And the same can be said about any other pursuit in life, can it not? So we are going to take a look at how the Internet Business landscape is also in good shape and the stock is up and rising in markets and fields they may interest you. We will mainly target what we have identified as the Big Ten here at Bevyhost. Not to be confused with the USA Big Ten NCAA athletic Conference. WE ARE PENN STATE! Oh sorry ………… I lost myself there for a minute.

Before we analyze and consider the Stock Up aspect of the Internet business market let’s set the tone first. Recall the fictitious scenario I laid out in the beginning.

We set the premise as things were already going well and you wanted to reassure your gal or guy that things were on the rise for the better. And when it looked like you stuck your foot in your mouth the result was that things were better than even you thought. Imagine the likely direction things would take if that was a real life scenario?

But the story also shows you how perspective, brutal honesty, and seeing the direction things are going is a great motivator in life. Steady improvements and developments keep us focused and heading in the right direction. And if we slip up it is nice to see that when we landed it didn’t hurt as much as we anticipated. In fact whether we suffered a mild set back or not we were anxious to get back on our feet and right the ship as they say. Get back up on the horse. Or whatever metaphor you prefer.

Ask yourself as you get in front of your computer screen am I getting anywhere? Is there anywhere to get? Where is the market heading? Are the trends good and is the foundation still in place? What do I really know about market I chose to pursue? Do I understand the raw numbers?

What are my goals? Is all about the money? Do I enjoy my field of interest? Is my success or failure hampered by my attitude? Can I change that if it is? Do I have reasonable goals and expectations?

These are the types of questions you need to have answers for. These questions are all the more reason we need to see how the stock is up and the trends are looking good. We can then make adjustments or be rejuvenated about our web business and area of pursuit.

Let me emphasize that the purpose of this exercise is not to blow smoke up anyone’s buttocks. We are not going to investigate these angles just to give false encouragement about the state of Internet business. We are not getting paid to endorse any Internet niche, field, or specific on line business model. We are not here to give you a false positive or to manufacture a Tony Robbins style motivation to try our hands in the Internet and its various genres.

No, quite the opposite. We are here to look at reality. The fact is there are things to be encouraged about when it comes to the Internet and what it has to offer. That does not mean there are not flaws or things to beware of. There is no escaping there are some things we will have to adjust too. Remember our happy couple in the outset of our discussion?

The gal in that scenario had some outward negatives such as her weight. But the gentleman who was wooing her decided to take in all the variables and make a decision based on everything this lady brought to the relationship. As a result he saw a bright future despite the few potential obstacles.

This is the bottom line of what we are going to present. No the Internet is not perfect nor is it easy as pie. But the stock is up and things are very encouraging. Check back and check out the good news.

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Many of us recall the early installments of the famous Star Wars trilogy. We enjoyed the film presentation of fictitious fight of good in evil in the intergalactic world. We remember how the story line was about an evil empire that had began dominating and oppressing the known universe using a “dark” version of an ancient indivisible power that existed and was intertwined with all of life.

And then there was the original and good side of this power called the force. Could the good reassert itself and conquer this nefarious dark power? Yes, according to some implied prophecy that foretold of a young man who would possess a higher capacity for the use of this force. But he would have to be protected as a young lad and later trained as a Jedi.

In the stories and in the film the character Luke Skywalker was this so called “one”. Part of the challenge was to teach him that his destiny was not guaranteed and that he could be swallowed up by the evil dark side of the force.

As the story develops the young Skywalker is being trained and he is also being tempted to rush ahead of his present preparedness. Luke is not satisfied with what he perceives as a slow rate of progress. He wants to conquer now!

But his mentor and a wise old Jedi Master warn him of the damaging effect of impatience and unrealistic expectations. What am I talking about? What does some old movies have to do with my life you are asking?

Focus my young apprentice, focus. No, seriously, many of us do not grasp the potential of Internet business and also the gradual development that is involved. While building an Internet business is not rocket science it is not like flipping a coin either.

In a similar vein we need to understand that progress is incremental. It is unlikely and unrealistic to expect that we are going to have instant monster success. It is not wise to assume that you are going to know and fully understand the inner workings and applications of the Internet in a short span of time.

Yes you may even be the brainiac among us. Maybe you are a genius. I mean all know I am. LOL. Remember Luke Skywalker? He was the chosen one, he was born to take the role of redeeming the universe from the hands of evil. And yet he needed to time to master the whole Jedi art.

Okay so that wasn’t real, but it was basically a dramatic metaphor for how life actually works. Honestly rarely, and I mean rarely does anyone just stumble into a speedy success; whether you are a gifted musician, talented athlete, business entrepreneur, or a sheer natural smarty pants or not, it is not your entitlement to be successful. Success is not going to happen through osmosis or from the natural order of nature. In fact even gifted people have to work at their craft to really get anywhere.

Bringing this full circle to the main point of emphasis, don’t get easily frustrated by your perceived lack of success in your Internet endeavors. For one it is always a possibility that you may need to rethink or change your career plans because a percentage of us are not cut out for the Internet business world. But you aren’t going to know that without giving it an honest and reasonable amount of time.

There are in fact many business models that state that you should assume that you need a year until you begin to get a gage of where things are heading. I know when it comes to opening up a restaurant or a retail store there are formulas like this.

When it comes to your Internet business the principle is the same. You need to time to build you business. Until then the returns will be frustrating at times and you will question whether you should continue. What should you do if things are not going well?

Ask yourself how much time do I commit to learning what I need to know to my field? How much time do I spend doing all of the things necessary or seeing to it that those things get done by a qualified and trusted assistant? How competitive is the market I am in? How realistic are my goals? Am I reaching my short term goals? Am I realistic about my short term goals?

You can set a goal to make $500 a month in my first 6 months of business for example. Is that a reachable goal for what you are doing? Are you honest with yourself examination? Am I dedicated to making my Internet business work?

Hey young padawan, my young Luke Skywalker. Take it easy, be patient. You need to keep steady at the wheel and be determined to put in the effort and wait for the rewards in there due time. Trust me many of you will become a Web Master.

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So I’m sitting here humming the old Jackson 5 song “I’ll Be There” again. Seems that every time I think of today’s topic the tune comes to mind. What topic is that you ask? Today’s topic is Internet Consulting.

It’s kind of interesting because Internet consulting is closely related to freelancing. And yet there are differences also. But that is neither here nor there for the purpose of our discussion. And frankly if you are interested in starting a new Internet business you should become thoroughly familiar with the area you decide to pursue. Actually you should do research to decide what field to consider in the first place.

So assuming you have done that to some degree and you have determined you that Internet consulting is for you, and then you should keep reading. Practically speaking, if you are already in the consulting field this article will still be helpful to you.

Naturally Internet consultants benefit from maintaining an Internet presence and an Internet marketing campaign. And we have and will continue to discuss why and how this can be done on this web page. Today however we are going to take a look at how this is being done. As a result you can be motivated and inspired by the success of others.

The purpose of this exercise is not to advertise any specific company or their site but to see an example of some of the things we discuss in word. Yes seeing things does enhance our understanding. So let’s do it.

Without further ado take a look at http://www.wsiconsultants.com/. The Company cleverly calls themselves WSI or We Simplify the Internet. They also have a nice logo. A logo is always good, for if the people at first forget the name of your business, they will likely recall the image or logo.

On the top right of the Home Page on the opposite side of the company logo they provide a site map and a search bar, both of which are valuable and site service friendly for your visitors. Underneath the header is a really cool flash banner featuring their services.

Immediately below is a nice menu offering information on the “Company”, a “Client Showcase”, and a section highlighting their “Internet Consultants”. Under the option of “Our Company” is another menu with further options and informative options. They are:

• What’s New
• Our Approach
• Our Products
• Business Opportunities
• News Room
• Contact Us

All of these options are insightful and relevant. Obviously when you are deciding what to include on your page you should be as selective. They even offer another search tool below those options.

In a section next to the just mentioned menu is a showcase box directed at their consultants. It offers the visitor the option to locate and contact a WSI rep closest to them. This is common I many Internet fields for a site to be group oriented. These sites feature the designated service but also provide opportunity for individuals to offer their independent service in the context of a collective group of your professional peers.

Now checking out another example we go to http://www.spartaninternet.com/. This company site is more a direct site exclusively marketing their professional consulting services. On their home page you will see their logo and title at the top left. To the top right is a commercial slogan. A slogan is always a nice touch.

Below their header page is a tool bar allowing you to learn more about their “Consulting”, “Implementation”, “Experience”, “By the Industry”, “About Us”, and “Contact Us”. Notice again the relevant choices along with the “standard” options most sites should provide.

Beneath the menu tool bar is their banner ad and 3 inviting topics to explore:

1. Get return value on your web site
2. Create a web strategy for success
3. Generate real profits and reduce costs

All of which are common and vital themes in the Internet consulting field. Below and starting on the left is a further breakdown of their consultant offers.

• Website development
• E-commerce
• Web programming

Next to those choices in the 3 box section is a very good feature. They created what they call a performance index. It is an example of the types of things they have to offer regarding web development and performance. This is a spin of a necessary feature that you should provide. Yes, any resume or past references will show potential future clients what you are capable of.

At the bottom of the page you find contact and location information. This is also a user friendly option as some potential clients may prefer picking up over the phone or in person.

Note that both of these sites are purely promotional and a marketing site for their business. They are not using their site for promotion and as a way of earning income through ancillary methods such as affiliate or sponsorship ads. But that is always an option for your web site. Keep in mind though the manner in which you wish to present your company. And also the focus you wish to have on your primary business compared to side ventures.

So all you consultants out there waiting for someone to ask for your help, how are you getting the word out of your services and credentials?

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