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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We have all heard the phrases “dress for success” or “look the part” have we not? Most times it is not a matter of going to great lengths to follow this wisdom. But it does take some thought and deliberate action.

Naturally those phrases apply to the way we dress and groom ourselves. For example even professional sports franchises have dress codes for their players and staff. In the NBA for instance players and coaches are required to wear a business suit when they travel between cities to play opponents in their cities. Why does it matter? These are adults playing basketball.

Frankly, it has a clear connection to professionalism. Think about it. The NBA like all sports makes most of their money through broadcasting and advertising. Yes they make some revenue by people paying a lot of money for a ticket to attend the games. But believe it or not, that pales in comparison to the tv/radio and advertising contracts.

Also the reality is that the broadcasting end of it is about advertising also. The networks pay the league for the rights to air the games but they in turn make their money by advertising dollars during that broadcast. But wait there is more.

Each arena or stadium that hosts an event is loaded with advertising! You can’t even go to the bathroom without seeing an ad in front of you. Guess what all of this is called?

We just described an affiliate marketing relationship between the sports franchises and the business world. Yes indeed, the Internet did not create affiliate marketing. But here is another guess what? The Internet is widely successful do to affiliate marketing!

The fact is that the sports industry would be a fraction of what it is if it solely relied on ticket sales to make money. And realistically many businesses feel that advertising or being an affiliate of professional sports makes their business more successful. It’s a 2 way street. That is what makes it a partnership.

So here we are now looking at our Internet business. Or course we want people to visit our web page and use it for the intended purpose we set it up for. If we have a blog than we want readers, and if we are an e-tailor, than we want potential buyers. And so on. But the fact is it doesn’t have to end there.

For one all of the other web pages in existence want the same thing as we do. They also want traffic and potential customers. This is why affiliate marketing is valuable and irreplaceable. It is also why you can earn money using affiliation.

But like any other business you need to be professional. You can have a professional advertising banner on your page but if your page is not fresh and disorganized it won’t be effective for you or your affiliates. Or if your site is full of ads and little other content it won’t come across professionally either.

Now there are web pages that are exclusively set up to advertise an affiliate but that is effective only because it is set up like a professional Internet billboard. It’s a commercial page basically.

However you have to be careful if your site is supposed to be there for another reason. I mean if you maintain a blog for instance and you rarely add content then you appear as if you are just providing ads for affiliates. You also put out the vibe that you really don’t care that much about your blog. That would be unprofessional and you would not be dressed for success.

“But I am just a regular Joe or Suzie. I am not a professional” many will say. Then why are you trying to confuse us? If you are going to attempt to make some money through affiliate marketing than you are insinuating that are now taking a professional approach.

Being a professional often does not mean you have to be a corporation or that you have a staff. I mean if you tailor dresses and suits on the side for money you are now offering a professional service in essence. You do not have to be a college graduate to be professional.

It’s the presentation and the care you put into your work that makes the difference. Dressing up in a suit for instance doesn’t make you a better basketball player, but it shows the world that you are serious and put a value on what you do. That is why the NBA insists the players dress up. It also reflects on the sponsors and advertisers.

And it really is not something to stress over. The overall point is to put your best foot forward even if your web page is just for fun or a side project. Go that extra mile and consider the details. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Simple things like being relevant, up to date, accurate, and user friendly will show the world you take your web page seriously. And this will reflect a positive image on your affiliates. And that will only help you and them.

So remember as your managing your site to “look the part”.

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Have you ever gone into a small store to purchase a snack and then when you went to pay for it, the cashier was “busy” on their cell phone? Yes it appeared as if you were interrupting them. Even though it is their job to provide service for you, they come across as if it is a burden to assist you.

How does that reflect on the business? Does it make you want to come back? Realistically that is not the way to treat a customer. In fact we should come across as if it is a pleasure to serve the customer. How about you?

When it comes to your Internet business are a professional or are you simply doing a boring job? Let’s take a look at a couple examples and areas that we can improve upon.

Okay then here we go. We are going to assume that you are an independent contractor like a Virtual Assistant or a Freelance service provider. These are both in their very nature a professional business. Companies or individuals are turning to you for your expertise.

However being a professional is more than just performing a service in a satisfactory manner. Remember our cashier? There is no doubt that they know how to ring out your sale and send you on your way. But knowing how to use the cash register is just a part of their job isn’t it?

Likewise if you are a VA, it is safe to assume that you know how to perform the services you provide. For example maybe you offer professional accounting services. Or maybe you are a Freelance web designer? Again the reality is you probably are somewhat reliable at providing such services or you wouldn’t bother offering them.

Your success however, will be determined by far more than your actual work. Your performance will be judged and evaluated on an entire package. By what you do, how well you do it, and the manner in which you do it?

Yes as VA or a Freelance contractor what does your package add up to? Aside from doing the job do you market yourself professionally? Does your web page and any other advertising tell the world who you are and what you are capable of? Do you deliver what you say you can deliver?

Do you provide a timely service? If you say you are going to be done in 2 weeks, are you? Do you complete everything you promised you would? Are you very clear as to what it is you will be doing for your client?

Do you prepare contracts that spell out in detail the services that you will provide and the cost of those services? Does it explain when these services will be finished and so on?

Are you available and accessible to your clients? Do you return messages and/or phone calls in a timely manner? Do you answer all questions in a satisfactory fashion? Do you make your client feel like their concerns are important to you? Customers do not want to feel like you don’t have time for their attention because you have so many other customers. In fact it is more professional if you turn down a project and explain that you would not be able to give them the service they deserve. Of course you would offer them the option of your assistance at a future time. Your professionalism may likely motivate them to wait if it is not urgent.

Taking this a little further you may even be able to take the job and sub contract the job out to another reliable associate or colleague. However, be certain they have the same standards of professionalism that you do.

Continuing in this theme it would be wise to decline a project you are not qualified to do. Of course if you are taking the job with intention of letting a qualified person or team perform the service that would do the trick. Again, as long as it is done professionally, in fact this may be a way that you could learn to perform additional services. Yes combining your continued education with on the job training will help you expand your services.

In all actuality it would be professional to always continue to pursue more education. You should always be up to date. For example some accounting requires knowledge of legal applications. A professional will be on top of all the latest changes in the law. As well as recent upgrades in software and concepts that may apply to other forms of VA or Freelance services. Be willing to learn new things and new options.

In summary the VA and Freelance world is very competitive and yet continues to grow. Those who are successful are taking the professional approach. How about you?

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It’s Hammer-Time! Remember Hammer-Time? You music hip-hoppers do!

Known by his mother as Stanley Burrell, he became a famous pop star artistically known as MC Hammer. The height of his career started in the late 1980’s and carried somewhat into the 1990’s.

Aside from his rap style pop music he had a flare for costume style grooming. He was very famous for the flamboyant Hammer pants. They were his version of what was called parachute style pants. To many it was probably ridiculous. Some maybe even were turned off by his act and his dress. However others were obviously attracted by it.

Frankly these types of things are usually calculated by a marketing team. Ironically he likely did it in the beginning “just because”. Stanley was probably just being Stanley. But believe me when he was signed by a label everything he did was reviewed and examined.

You see the fact is any and all type of business has a target market. Sure you would like to appeal to the masses but that is rarely the case. I mean even something as simple as owning a restaurant follows the creed of knowing your market and targeting that market. For example a pizza shop does not try to appeal to the crowd who prefer fine dining. As well McDonald’s doesn’t focus on health food nuts in their ads.

Ironically MC Hammer and his management lost their target somewhere. Because over time his audience changed and he did not change with them. Primarily his music was geared toward the youth, as most music is, but more of a inner city crowd. Often made up of urbanites. More black and Spanish kids at that. This mostly is because it was believed that this audience would be more likely to purchase his music.

Over a course of time however the inner city urbanites were buying a darker and more edgy style rap music that had a different message than that of MC Hammer. His audience meanwhile was becoming a predominantly “white” suburban audience. Now that in itself was not a bad thing. But his sales were dropping because the “white” audience at that time was not as hip on the hip hop. So sales were not up to par. Of course it may also be that his style was just not fresh anymore but that is hard to quantify.

But the fact is he hurt himself by not being on top of his audience or adapting to the changes. To make matters worse, he tried to regain his original audience by becoming edgier and more “street wise”. But it was too late and came across disingenuous by the audience he was trying to get back. And then his new audience was also lost.

What is the lesson in all this you must be asking by now? The answer to that is simple. Don’t make the same mistake that old Stanley and many others make. Be true to yourself but also be aware of your target “audience”.This will lead to the need to be flexible.

Now being flexible can be tricky to some degree. For one thing it is not an exact science. On the other hand there is plenty of margin for error. It in fact can be fun. Hey and sometimes life and business is all about riding the wave as long as we can make it last. So don’t be intimidated or worried about being flexible.

The reality is that your Internet business can have a longer shelf life than a music career. But like music and many other industries, things change. People like the same thing over and over but they also like new additions and fresh ideas. The challenge is maintaining your identity while creating an evolution of development.

It doesn’t have to be drastic nor do you have to reinvent the wheel. The good thing is that this means you are not locked into a box either. You know the old cliché? Think outside the box. Well here is your chance.

Yes being professional doesn’t mean you have to follow a rigid formula or that you cannot take chances. Take the examples we gave earlier. Even MC Hammer rode a big wave for awhile. And during his ride he was a professional in his field while being flexible. He pioneered a look, some dance moves, and provided some entertainment for a whole generation.

Or take McDonald’s. While they are not a health food restaurant they put their fingerprint on franchising and broadened the scope of a fast food eatery all at the same time. And they have stepped out of the box a time or two while doing it!

What about you and your Internet business than? Are you web blogger? Then continue to refine your writing. Do you provide your readers with content they want from you? Do you keep it fresh and consistent?

Are you a web designer? Do you design a web site geared at enhancing the business it showcases? Or do you just build a site that you feel comfortable with? What a web site needs is to reflect the personality of the company or blog that is displaying. You need to provide that in a professional manner. Yet at the same time you need to push the envelope to the degree it works. Nice challenge! And worth every minute of your effort.

Are you a Virtual Assistant, a Freelance Contractor or a Consultant? Again do you know what your target audience needs? Are you always trying to improve your abilities and offer more efficient services? Are you willing to change when change is beneficial?

And the list goes on as well as the questions and challenges do. The principle is not as much what Internet business and service it is that you offer. It is the professionalism that you put into preparation, maintainability, flexibility, and paying attention to your market and its needs.

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In recent times many companies are discovering a new way to market their products or services. These methods are not only beneficial to everyone involved in the company, but also prove to increase website hits almost immediately after launch.

Twitter marketing is a relatively new forum of marketing, and many businesses may be intimidated at first when trying to use this program to prove beneficial. Twitter marketing does not have to be a complex method of marketing as long as you know how the website works, and how to use it to your advantage.

Twitter is an online forum created to allow people the ability to communicate instantly with a status update. Unlike other social networks, these sites are not filled with unnecessary programs or features, and are pretty basic in their content. Twitter marketing is the process of using your status updates to create website hits as a result. They in turn cause people to go to your website and draw attention to yourself in a positive manner without being seen as a spam artist.

Twitter only allows 140 character status updates within one update. This works out to about a small paragraph so make sure that you are choosing your words wisely. Create statuses that are thought provoking, or company related to get the most out of you website hits. By simply creating a status that only lists your website, there is no reason for people to follow you. If however you are creating a twitter update that explains the good you are doing within a community on behalf of your business then that would be something worth reading.

People enjoy hearing about fundraisers, charities, and how businesses are helping people in need whether it is a human or otherwise. If you are involved in charitable events this would be a great time to update people on the status of that. Perhaps you are trying to raise ten thousand dollars for the Haiti crisis relief fund, let people know every day how that goal is progressing and discuss why you are raising the money (will it go towards young children?) Feel free to also mention your site has a donation button (only if it does) which will draw those wanting to donate further back to your website.

Keep your messages meaningful and to the point. If you are not involved in a charity or fundraiser, perhaps you would like to mention how you are developing your business. Have you created a blog recently or are you hoping to add video to your website? Let people know in a professional manner about the updates your site is going through to help benefit them further. This will take the focus away from the actual products and services and put it back into the community. By showing people you care about their reactions and the user friendly design of your site is the one way you are trying to improve that, you are guaranteed to keep people wanting to read and see the progress you have been making.

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The people totally different in each may not ready to accept what and all they are pasing through. Whatever profitable may it be. The online marketing delivers a vast area of exploding tehnologies to market the business or ideas of an average man. It includes web site, e-mailing, e-bays, sms alerts. But even if the strategies are quite striking and far reaching a percentage of people turn away their head as they really not interested in it.

In such case, the video marketing lends them another vista for benefiitng themselves utilizing the facilities derived through it. The people assume that the videos are merely for entertaining. But the truth is far beyond that. The present scenario is that companies and individuals promoting each and every of their products through online marketing.
Significantly, we can say that through the medium of online marketing. The video whih is beneficial to those who are not interested to create one for their own product is different. They have to create interactive contents and prices to serve the products being watched by people and make them take action.

After every video that people are watching, confusion is being created that the creators may fail to guide the people to take action. That is at the end of the video they are forgetting unkonowingly to ask the viewer to purchase the product. The video is not for entertaining the viewer but to make them take swift action along with the information gathered with a lot of fun. Then only the real purpose of the video marketing gets fulfilled.

A coherent strategy should be there to market the products through newer techniques. It is easy to create a variety of videos for the products and make them spread over internet media which lack logic. There you are deliberatily making a big mistake which won’t make money for you at all. The coherent strategy that you need to pass through the videos should be longlasting and stick on it. The commitment of yourself is rather anticipated as the process of video editing may became complicated and long time. There it may seems that a tendancy to quit.

The way to tell the people “Do It” will be most effective. The people are instructed how does it function and how well it is. So the simple way is to stick on your revierws and make them take action before they get rid of the influence that afflicted on them by the video. The very end there should be proper directions to “Order it” or “Call Now”. Take care off the instructions as it would not be exceeded. The long narrative surely makes the people distracted from what they really wanted to do. The videos should be short, precise entertaining and informative. The way should stick on the minds of people as unique one with a different mode of practices. It may be directed to web site and order the product or log on to register as a client or even more create an attractive video in which a list of new products cling on to the realm on online media.

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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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Copyright © 2009 BevyHost.com.

If everybody was jumping off a bridge would you jump also? Remember your parents and other mature guardians teaching us that lesson?

Well would you jump? I hope not. But let me ask you this. Would you be aware of trend that led to people jumping off bridges at an unprecedented rate? Again I hope so. The point though is this.

When it comes to business and industry we should be aware of trends that catch on. Now not all trends are juts the whim of someone clever or creative. Often times it is an evolution of sorts. When it comes to the Internet these kind of trends are natural. Because as time moves forward there are still many applications transitioning over to the web world. And it is constantly being improved.

So when it comes to starting, managing, or building an Internet business we should notice valued trends. Yes all trends should be noticed. Upon noticing them we should determine what it is that makes it such a lightning rod development and, more importantly, is it going to last. The answer to that will likely be revealed in the practical use of such trends.

Let’s check out a couple. One area that continues to grow is that of E-commerce. In fact we discuss different aspects of e-commerce here at Bevyhost.com. We also are going to include the Auction Site sales in this article today.

Now as we have discussed and will continue to address in the future, there are various phases of commerce that need to be handled with responsible care. One of the key components is the product selection. Now in some cases if you specialize in a certain area of commerce than your product is kind of selected for you. For example if you are a jewelry or shoes Internet merchant than we don’t have to guess what you sell. However both of those are consistently strong items to sell via the Internet.

So if for those in specific niche product, it is also important to know the scope of your market and also you will want to know what the competition is doing to some degree

Often times in the Auction world though there is diversity. In addition this can be the case with a variety style E-tail site. But let’s look at a couple of “hot” items that are taking the web by storm. An item right up on the top or near the top of the list may surprise you.

Information sells people! Yes providing “how to”, or even more traditional information is an enormously successful seller on the Internet. Perhaps in the form of your own subscription web page or a down loadable e-book. Maybe you provide a software program or a digital recorded product. You could offer a newsletter or periodic reports. Any form is a viable product. Why?

• Low cost to develop .
• No shipping and handling.
• Immediate access for customer.
• Nothing to physically store or create a tangible inventory for.
• Available 24 hrs a day.
• Your sales are automatically tracked.
• And if you have no information to sell, it is not as hard as you think to find it.

According to an e-commerce tracker these were some trends to be aware of:

• Software, flowers, music, books, videos, made up 26% of Internet sales. Regardless of the numbers the point is these are “hot” items.
• Reservation type sales are big. Airlines, hotels, and car rentals make up 21% according to the report.
• Office type stuff like office supplies, computer hardware, consumer electronics is 16% of the Internet sales pie.
• Jewelry, home decorative, shoes, apparel are 13% of the market.
• Beauty, health, and food/beverage takes 8% of the lions share.
• Games, sporting goods and toys are a solid 7%.
• Appliances, furniture, gardening items, and tools make 3% of the market.

Again keep in mind the percentages are according to that source and I have no way of confirming the accuracy. But the general list is consistent with the majority of lists out there. These are the items leading the charge. You could use the numbers as general ranking of what is being demanded at present. Also keep in mind the pie is giant so even a few percent of Billions of dollars is a large market.

Remember, that you are not required to sell only items on this list. But you should know what the trends are. The fact is the Internet shopping pool is getting bigger virtually everyday. Yes more and more people are jumping into the mix. More and more people find it easier and more convenient to shop on-line.

This bodes well for everyone wanting to sell items as an e-tailer or an auctioneer (i.e eBay, Amazon etc). And if you have products that are in somewhat lesser demand?

Again let us stress that there is plenty of wiggle room here. For example note that musical instruments is not on the top list. But believe me they sell fairly well on-line. When you get down to it trend tracking is a layered process.

Yes indeed it is. You have the preliminary stage, which we began here for you, and that is taking a big picture look of what is going on. Then you need to examine closer the niche you are interested in. If you plan on covering a variety of items then you need to go into each specific product and see what the trends are for that product. You still with me?
You got homework to do people! Don’t just take a casual stroll through eBay or across e-tail pages. Research your ideas and the products you were thinking of selling. You can even research ideas or suggestions. And believe me there is a boundless amount of information out there to review.

You need to be systematic however. Concentrate on the various aspects. For example: (Not in any special order)

• Product ideas.
• Product launching.
• Product availability.
• Product delivery.
• Product shipping and receiving.
• Product popularity and demand.
• Product marketing.

Look you may have a career ahead of you or a supplemental income. But the on-line trends are telling you that the stock is up in e-tail and auctioning. Why not check it out?

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And the world continues to go round and round. The amazing thing is that technology continues to bring the world closer and closer. The Internet is a prime example of that. Not to mention it is at the forefront of it all in many ways.

In some ways it has exceeded projected predictions. Some of the applications have enhanced more than the area or niche they were targeted at. The Social networks are a classic example of that.

Obviously the key role the social network sites were created to bring social connections to a different level than ever reached before. Of course, in the beginning many have seen it as a crafted teeny or pre teen outlet. An adolescent “web hookup” I some people’s eyes. Making the first and loudest noise was Myspace.

It wasn’t long before it grew from the “kid’s only Net playground” to a viable marketing and social network. Yeah you read correctly, a marketing tool, one worth looking at and learning from.

In the Close up series we are putting our focus on seeing examples of what people are doing with the ideas that we are interested in applying. Today’s example is Myspace. Remember we took a look at Facebook and Twitter in Part 1.

Now this is not to say you have to have a Myspace page, no, but it is a good idea to see what social networks have to offer and how you can use them. So let’s get on it!

In my opinion Myspace is an outstanding outlet for musicians. So as our first example let’s use a random musician and their web page. First up is http://www.myspace.com/katevoegele. Go ahead a pull that up.

Now, one really great thing about Myspace is that it has been around for quite a while now and the do it yourself lay out choices are a plenty. In fact there are sites that have been created to the customizing of Myspace sites. So when we pull up Kate Voegele’s Myspace page we are seeing her touch, or her people’s touch.

One common feature however on every Myspace page is the “Add to Friends”, and “Contact Me/Send Message” options. Now these are very important on a social site as you want to build up your network so many others will then have a chance to learn about you. For a musician like Kate that is paramount. And as a result she has been very successful in promoting her music through Myspace.

You will also see a place to view photos and videos which is very easy and beneficial to do. She also offers a music widget box. That is also a great tool for musicians to promote themselves and their songs. You can also use your widget to showcase other artist’s music that you enjoy.

Notice as you scroll down she features her shows and her own blog. Myspace also allows you to advertise links. You will see how she takes advantage of that and promotes her music and merchandise through banners. This is a valuable tool for you also. Whether you are a musician or have another business, be sure to feature your links and display your links or your affiliate links on your page. This of course works regardless of it is a Myspace page or another social network page.

Just to demonstrate that it is not all about music check out http://www.myspace.com/walmart_myspace. And then you have this example http://www.myspace.com/heinzketchupbottle. Both sites are examples of how a die hard following can lead to big things.

And then you have the official style pages like http://www.myspace.com/gibsonguitarcorp on the corporate level or http://www.myspace.com/appleipodsny on a store level. And then you have “small” businesses at http://www.myspace.com/laptopbaby. Or something like http://www.myspace.com/bobstarwebdesignsis another example.

In fact take a look at the variation of how they use Myspace for their marketing. I thought bobstart had a truly clever and eye appealing delivery, a nice use of flash and imagery. They also give you the adequate link to their main web site. The great thing is they have enough eye candy to deliver the message as well as the right mix of information. It is not too much and it’s not too little, very simple also. All of these are essential and very useful. They are words to live by.

Now with more emphasis on business you also have the social business network sites http://technorati.com/ and http://www.linkedin.com/. A simple example is http://technorati.com/people/BevyHost.

We can discuss some of the specific features of these sites in future articles.

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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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