Welcome to Business Consultant Weekly

Vol. 2 Issue # 16 April 19, 1999

In this issue:

1) Tip of the Week

2) FEATURE ARTICLE: Are You Serious? by Simon Vause

3) CLASSIFIEDS

4) FREE Resources

5) POWERQUOTE

6) MARKETING MINUTE: How you may be losing sales everyday at your website by Christopher M Swift

If you'd like to read previously ran tips and features, go to <http://netcheckspayroll.com/newsletter.html>

Today's feature article discusses the importance of listing your site with the major search engines. In order by traffic, here is a short list of the biggies. Keep all these engines on your priority list:

Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) Infoseek (http://www.infoseek.com) Lycos (http://www.lycos.com) Alta Vista (http://altavista.digital.com) Webcrawler (http://www.webcrawler.com) Excite (http://www.excite.com) HotBot (http://www.hotbot.com)

Also, discussed is the importance of accepting credit cards on a secure server. Here are two merchant account solutions I have found to have the best deals:

Just starting out? Get a truly FREE merchant account. Don't sell anything, don't pay anything: <http://hop.clickbank.net/hop.cgi?netchecks>

A more permanent solution with low lease prices and no start up costs: <http://www.webtranz.com/cgi-bin/affiliate/banner.cgi?236>

Are You Serious?

--------------

What do you think of your online business? Do you see it is a hobby? Something that you're dabbling in to see if it works? Has it worked?

If you're just playing at your online business the chances are that you have yet to see any profit. In fact you'll probably be thinking of dismissing it all together. Is this because online businesses don't work? Is this because you're not cut out to run one? Or is this because you don't take it seriously?

Let's start with the fundamentals.

Your Address -------------- If you're advertising an affiliate program with a free Web page, or you're running your online business from a free Web site you're already making a bad impression.

Out of the cyber world would you buy anything from someone off the street, or in the doorway of a shop? They're making use of free space.

To provide the right image, the image that leads to sales, you need to start with your own domain. This is the first step to taking your business seriously. It's the cyber equivalent of placing your name above a building.

Even though some affiliate programs provide a free page you should give your personal recommendation on your own domain.

Your Design -------------- How does you site look? Is it well designed? Can people easily find their way around? Is it simple to contact you for help? Is ordering quick and simple?

Would you buy anything from a shop that was untidy, boxes littered across the floor, no assistant to help you and all orders can only be made by check?

You must greet your customers when they enter your site. Let them know what it is you're offering them. Provide enticing offers to make them explore your easy to navigate site. Have an option to contact you on every page to provide assistance. Accept orders quickly and simply by credit card.

Your Attitude -------------- What would you do if you asked for assistance in a store and all you received was a blank look, or a short, rude reply?

Treat everyone who emails you with respect. Aim to answer their question and provide 'that little extra'. Offer your help to them with any other queries they may have and check back with them later, to see if they need further assistance.

End your emails with a signature line providing any extra contact information that you think is applicable.

E.g. Regards, Nice Guy

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

Great Products From A Great Store <URL> For fast, helpful advice email me now nice.guy@<URL>.com

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

Your Location -------------- Every site on the Internet is located in it's own alley. The chances of people finding it on there own is lower than a snakes belly. You need to promote your site to bring you customers.

Good ways to spread the word include . . .

> Register with search engines to enable you to catch some passing trade. > Reach your target group with newsletter advertising. > Provide help and assistance in relevant discussion groups. > Announce your services to the media with a press release. > Start your own newsletter to keep people informed on your products.

If you apply these fundamentals to your online business you'll be on track to taking your online business seriously, next stop, sales. -------------- *Article by Simon Vause of Strontium Webs. The ultimate FREE resource for Web site design and promotion. Increase your traffic now by visiting http://www.strontiumwebs.com Subscribe to their FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.strontiumwebs.com/free_newsletter.htm

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Become an Internet Marketing Warrior and learn..... · How to use email to make a fortune - without getting flamed to death! · Live examples of high profit web sites using my strategies! · What you should be doing in forums every day to create steady cash flow! · Secrets of salesletters that have sold millions of dollars in products! · Examples of the hottest ads ever ran! · How to write headlines that can triple the response you now get! · How to get 50,000 people to see your ad every day · How to combine direct mail & online marketing to explode your profits! ...and more! ...."I recommend Allen Says as the most honest and helpful individual I have dealt with in this business. His Marketing package is the best value on the internet. Anyone who is thinking about doing any type of business on the web needs to be a member of the Internet Marketing Warriors." http://www.privatesites.com/warriors.cgi?LR2286

Make $300/day with this EASY, inexpensive program. http://www.hotyellow98.com/netchecks/order.html

The Better Internet Bureau is an online, nonprofit, organization dedicated to making the internet a safer place. Help us pass the word by becoming an associate and earning a commission each time someone applies for accreditation through your site. <http://www.better-internet-bureau.org/welcome/bib87int/index.html>

Join the NEW Associate Program that lets you profit by referring others to an advanced software collection hand-picked by experts for small business. Everyone gets a FREE Associates Web Site and FREE Classified Site! go to <http://www.marketwize.com/biz/ware/m47r/index.html>

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Good news! Take advantage of your preferred subscriber status with a rate of 50% off the regular rate of $10 per issue for YOUR best 5 line ad (65 characters max per line). As loyal subscribers, you can still place ads here at half-price or $5 per issue. For a limited time. If you have more than 5 lines, just add $5 ($2.50 for subscribers) per extra 65 character line per week.

First, e-mail your ad copy to... mailto:webmaster@netcheckspayroll.com If you're paying by check, print out a copy and mail the print-out, with check or money order to: NetChecks, 42263 50th St West, Suite 614, Quartz Hill, CA 93536. If you prefer to use a credit card, go to <http://netcheckspayroll.com/bcwadrates.html> to order your ad space on a secure server. If you have any questions, please call (805) 722-2286.

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The 1999 Edition of the famous "Insider Internet Marketing" book by Jim Daniels has just been released! We have our original copy right next to our computer! So take 30 seconds and learn what makes the difference between the "Internet success stories" and the "Obscure web marketers". A genuine insider tells all! <http://www.bizweb2000.com/d3643.htm> Get your copy TODAY!

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"Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes."

- Thomas Wentworth Higginson

Questions to Ponder:

What set of eyes am I using today? What can I do to put on my "originality glasses"?

Today's Challenge:

When working on a problem or a routine situation today stop and view the situation or problem from another perspective. Ask yourself how your Mother would view it? How your best friend would view it? How Gandhi (or any other person) would view it?

Kevin Eikenberry mailto:kevin@discian.com http://www.discian.com

How you may be losing sales everyday at your website! Copyright 1999 by Christopher M Swift

The other day I visited a website that specialized in cellular phone accessories. I just got one of those cool mini digital phones that fits in the palm of your hand! I was looking to purchase a spare battery so I did a search on one of the search engines until I found a URL that seemed to suit my needs. I clicked on the URL link which took me to a site that offered the battery I was looking for. I was pleasantly surprised with the price and decided I would purchase from the company.

I'm a little old fashion because I still have to do business by discussing things over the telephone. I called the company and asked the sales person how soon he could ship the battery. He said he could ship it immediately so as you could imagine I was very pleased and ready to place the order. When I asked him how he accepts payment he told me to "snail mail" a check!

"Don't you take credit cards?" I said. He replied "Unfortunately we don't." So I said "how about checks-by-fax." Again he said, "NO!"

Immediately I had second thoughts about this company and my excitement literally disappeared! I couldn't believe a company doing business on the internet could lack a quality payment solution!

Fortunately for the cellular dealer I went above and beyond to request further ordering information but if you think about it, the cellular dealer was asking an awful lot of me.

He was asking me to hold on to the impulse and excitement that I had about purchasing the battery even though he can't support it in the moment. He was asking me to get out my checkbook and write a check, fill out an envelope, stamp it, go to a mail box... and wait.

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "you never have a second chance to make a first impression." If you think about it nothing is more true when it comes to Internet marketing! Unless your visitor bookmarks your page chances are very slim that they will EVER visit your site again. There are so many websites out there and its so difficult to get targeted traffic to your site that it almost seems silly to lose a sale because you don't make payment easy!

Believe it or not it will cost you more in the long run to not accept credit cards than it would to accept them. Did you know that 55% to 60% of all Internet, phone and mail order sales are done by credit card? Why? Consumers feel safer when using their credit cards. They know that if they don't receive the product or service they ordered they can contact their credit card company and refuse to pay!

Have you ever had a customer ask you the question, "do you take credit cards?" If you don't, what did you say? What did you tell them when they asked "why not?" If you don't accept credit cards, the question can be very uncomfortable. If you are serious about making money online the answer to the question, "do you take credit cards?" Must be YES!

This is why successful companies accept credit cards on their websites. Credit cards create comfort and trust for your customers and credibility for your company

Accepting credit cards at your website is one of the best ways to capture the impulse shopper. You provide an order form at your website so your shopper can fill in their credit card and contact information; the order and amount is confirmed and then the "submit" button is clicked and the order appears within minutes in your e-mail box. You can even have an automated system that will confirm each order, sending the shopper an emailed confirmation receipt. When you offer online ordering you give shoppers the convenience of ordering 24 hours per day seven days a week, you can literally make money in your sleep!

If you don't accept credit cards at your website, your potential customers may simply choose not to buy from you. If a large enough percentage make that choice you may find yourself out of business! ------------------------------------------------------

Christopher M. Swift is the Director of Marketing for Superior Bankcard Service United, a merchant services firm http://www.webtranz.com He is also the publisher of WEBTranz E-commerce & Marketing which provides, strategies and solutions for selling more on the web. To get your free subscription mailto:webtranz@smartbot.net

STOP losing sales...START accepting credit cards! <http://www.webtranz.com/cgi-bin/affiliate/banner.cgi?236>

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