internet-home-business

2005-10-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Advertising - Does it Matter?
When advertising, you need to sell your opportunity, your products and yourself. What sets you apart from everyone else? Maybe you produce a newsletter with a specific content where there is a demand from a particular group of people, or you promote your own special product that no one have not yet seen.
That´s a huge benefit! That´s what you need to sell in your ad campaign, and those are the things you need to do in order to become successful.
You don´t have to be worried that network marketing prosperity is difficult. It isn´t. In fact, it has never been so easy to make a decent second income or even a full time. But it takes time, persistence and uniqueness.
The people looking at your ads and reading your follow up letters are going to judge you and your whole business not only by what the materials have to say, but also by their appearance.
Be sure you send a powerful, positive and convincing message. Invest some time and money on your marketing materials, the payoff will be well worth it. Look at others ads on the Internet, see what´s attracting you, this will most likely attract others too.
Do you see what I have in mind? Your advertising campaign will be the propel to your business success. By now you think "How do I create one of those successful ads" After all, It´s the words that sell your opportunity. Write a good ad and It´s taking you to the top. Read others ads, get some good ideas from it, don´t copy it, that´s theft. Just get some inspiration from it.Let your friends take a look at your new written ad and say what they think about it, honestly.
Now where to put your ad? If you place your ad in a pets publication and the ad is promoting toys for children you might not get a single response. But placed in the right publication it will be a winner. It´s very important that you from the beginning know exactly where to put your ad. Just think about you having spent hours on that ad and then you put it in the wrong publication and get no response at all, that´s a big waste of time and effort.
My best advise is that you always work on your ads. Write them down, leave them for some time, go back to look at them again, let others look at them and after a while you will see the picture of your ad and you will se if it´s working or not. If not then you have to start from the beginning and write a new one and follow the same procedure again. But now it´s easier because you are deeply involved in the process.
The Internet are full of ads, start clicking around and read others ads, this is the best way to learn what is working or not. You probably can tell instantly when an ad is good or not at least after a while.

2005-10-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Writing Effective Emails
You have joined a great business and you want to create a downline to make it a success. Or you have found something that you believe will interest a good majority of the web users.
You make your decision to begin a mass emailing campaign. Have you got what it takes to write an email and get the replies flying in?
Most of us send out emails almost every day we do it so often with out even thinking about it, as a result they are often written and sent out less than perfect and fail to produce the desired result.
The purpose of sending out mass email is usually intended to attract visitors to view a website rather than make a sale, therefore it is important to take your time and define your aim precisely before writing the email.
Keep it simple and brief; avoid using long or technical words as some people may not understand them. Do not use three words where one will suffice. If the email is long and full of waffle boredom will set in and without a doubt it is likely to be deleted before reaching the end of it.
The opening paragraph is vital. If it does not click with the reader right away you have wasted your time sending it.
Even the best writers spend time editing and rewriting their article or email.
Start with an eye catching headline. It might be a question or statement. You must grab their attention right away. Look at it from your readers point of view, is it forceful enough or exciting to make you want to read on and discover the end result?
Headlines hook prospects and lead them to the next line. There you start to build their interest to ensure they read the next sentence... and each subsequent one.
You might even find it is worth offering a free gift or a monthly newsletter that would help their business. There are plenty of free e-books on the web that you can give away.
If the intention of your email is to make a sale then offer a guarantee or a full refund this should dispel any fears they may have.
A cheeky way to test out your email is to send it to a couple of friends who are interested in business, add a message at the end of it and ask them to email you.
If you don't receive a reply then you know your email was discarded before they reached your message, it is then a good idea to edit your email and remove any unneeded text.

2005-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Network Marketing Do's and Don'ts
Why did you become a network marketer? Most people immediately respond, "for the money!" However, this is not the real reason.
No one subjects them to the hard work of building a business just for little pieces of paper with the faces of dead presidents. The truth is you work in order to obtain what those little pieces of paper can bring you.
The first thing you need to do is to find the reason WHY you are a network marketer. Is it the freedom to choose whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it? Maybe you are looking for a different lifestyle. If there is one thing that is critical to your network marketing success, this is it. If you don’t have a reason, there is no motivation to succeed.
A network marketing business is a teaching and coaching business. If you don’t like interaction with other people, a network marketing business probably is not for you. There’s a concept that most network marketers just can’t seem to get a handle on. You do not sponsor "reps," you sponsor "people!"
If you have to find a reason why you are building your business, then doesn’t it stand to reason that other people will have to do the same thing? If that’s the case, then why is it that network marketers continually focus on how much money your prospect can earn?
There’s no way you are going to convince "Joe Sixpack," to get out of his Lazyboy recliner unless you find out what his motivation is. Most network marketers literally pound in the amount of money Joe can earn. They bombard him with message after message about how "Successful Sam" has just purchased his 10th Porsche, refurnished his 25,000 square foot cottage and promise Joe that he can do the same!
Just how realistic is this approach? Joe isn’t stupid. He works long, hard hours at his job in order to provide for his family and truly believes that the best thing he can hope for is saving enough money by summer to pay for a camping trip. Then here you come, promising Joe that he can have everything that Sam has and he can have it if he will just sign that piece of paper making you his sponsor!
You will probably sponsor a few people that way, but if you are in business for the long haul you need to change your approach and do it fast.
The proper approach is so simple, but in your rush to sponsor another "rep" instead of helping another person, all too often you talk yourself into and straight out of sponsoring the Joes of the world.
God gave you two ears and one mouth and he did it for a reason. We are supposed to "listen" twice as much as we "speak."
Instead of pouncing on Joe with the latest and greatest network marketing program of all time, find out what Joe wants and needs. Ask him questions, lots of questions. In fact, in your first meeting with Joe, don’t even mention your business! Yes, that’s what I said. Don’t even bring it up. Remove yourself from the super duper network marketing persona and spend time making a new friend.
Follow these recommendations and you are set to grow your business exponentially.

2005-10-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Tags & Folksonomy: Latest Internet Trend
There is a new branch of the Web growing like a well organized storm cloud. This recent trend on the Web can be used to strengthen your presence with major search engines and reach an active audience that is highly interested in your content. Welcome to the world of "folksonomy" and "tagging."
What is Folksonomy and Tagging?
Folksonomy is a combination of the words folks and taxonomy meaning "people classification management." This allows users some level of control over how the web is organized. One of the most popular tools of the folksonomy concept is tags. Tagging, in the context of this article, is the process of labeling a piece data with metadata.
Using Tagging & Folksonomy to Advertise
Three of the most effective sites currently using tags and/or folksonomy are: Del.icio.us, digg.com, and technorati. Each of these sites is a major player in the folksonomy world.
Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking web application that is growing very fast in popularity. With a free account, del.icio.us users can submit and access all of their bookmarks from any computer with Internet access. By submitting and tagging your own web pages, you instantly give access to thousands of other users with interests in the same tags. Encouraging site visitors to submit your selected webpages to their own del.icio.us bookmark page is a very good way to get more exposure to del.icio.us users. Submitting to del.icio.us is instant and it creates meaningful relevant links important to the major search engines.
Digg.com is mostly a technical news site. If you are familiar with the Web phenomenon Slashdot, then digg will remind you of that geek culture. The difference is that ALL of digg's content is created, submitted, and judged by its audience. If your page, blog or online article is good enough to be "dug" by digg users, you could receive literally hundreds of unique visitors immediately. Virtually any participation (comments, submissions, links in your profile) can get your site traffic from digg. The beauty of digg is that it is so popular that many submissions to digg can instantly dominate some keywords on search engines such as google.com.
Technorati.com is a power house in the world of tagging. If you have a blog, Technorati should become one of your favorite search engines on the World Live Web. Many Technorati Tags are beginning to dominate the Web by having constantly updated, fresh blog content on highly focused subjects. The beauty of Technorati is that blog application such as blogware and others are completely integrated with it allowing blog categories to be instantly tagged and syndicated into the blog search engine. Any blog can be manually added as well to technorati's very open tagging system. Like digg, even if you only happen to get a trickle of traffic from technorati itself many times the link value alone will sky rocket the speed in which your site rank in the search engines.
There are many other folksonomy sites that can help you with "tag syndication." With its encouragement to get users to submit their own RSS feeds as content, My Yahoo! is a great way to increase traffic and links. Web applications like TagCloud integrates RSS and tagging while wikipedia.org is method of allowing social webpage and content development. All these methods and many more have two great things in common 1) they are free (as of this writing) and 2) they give the power to reshape and categorize the Web to the people. If content is King then content management is the the kingdom.

2005-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
VoIP May Be Same Bat Time, but it's Not the Same Bat Channel!
VoIP - Same Bat-Time, but it's not the Same-Bat Channel!
Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few years, you've probably at least heard the word "VoIP" even if you didn't understand what all the excitement is about.
VoIP stands for "Voice over Internet Protocol" and it's going to change the way you think about making long distance phone calls.
Basically, VoIP technology turns analog audio signals (like the sounds you hear when talking on your regular telephone) into a digital signal (which is then transmitted over the Internet.)
So why is VoIP revolutionizing the industry? Because it means that by getting your hands on some of the free software that's available right now, you can totally bypass your telephone company, and start making long distance phone calls for free!
Here's what's got the bats buzzing in the belfry: This revolutionary technology has the ability to totally change the phone system of the entire world! Maybe you've seen television commercials for one of the pioneers of VoIP - Vonage. Vonage brands itself as the "broadband telephone company", and offers enticing perks to customers who switch to its service, like low-cost 800 numbers, very cheap international rates (fees are waived from the U.S. to Canada, and how about .03 cents a minute to call Paris?)
But Vonage isn't the only company who is interested. AT&T is setting up VoIP calling in several areas of the U.S. and there are other major players on the scene as well, such as Skype, who is relying on viral advertising to get the word out.
One of the really interesting thing about VoIP is that there's not just one way to make a call. There are actually three:
ATA - is the most commonly used VoIP method right now. Using the ATA (analog telephone adaptor), you connect your regular telephone to your computer or Internet connection. The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter and it takes the analog signal from your phone and converts it into digital data and transmits it over the Internet.
This is how Vonage does it, and AT&T 's CallVantage will be doing it. The ATA is free with their services. And using an ATA is so simple that anyone can do it. Open the box, plug the cable from your phone into the ATA instead of the wall socket, and you're set. Depending on your computer, and where you live, and what type of Internet connection you have, you might have to also install the software onto your computer, but even my grandmother knows how to do that these days.
IP Phones - They look just like the phones we're used to. They have a handset, cradles and buttons. But an IP phones use an RJ-45 Ethernet connector instead of the standard RJ-11 phone connectors. They connect directly to your router and all the hardware and software is already built inside to handle your IP calls. Look for Wi-Fi IP phones to be available in the near future, which will allow you to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi spot. (Can you see the power of that? Just take your IP phone with you when you travel, and stop in at any Internet café, hotel or other location where you can use your Wi-Fi laptop, and you can "phone home" wherever home happens to be!
Computer-to-Computer. This is arguably the easiest way to use VoIP. Not only do you not have to pay for long distance calls, there are several companies that are offering free or low-cost software right now for you to make use of the VoIP technology. All you need is the software, a microphone, speakers a sound card and a broadband or cable DSL Internet connection, and your loved ones sound as if they're in the next room. And, except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is no charge for any computer-to-computer call…no matter how far. Holy ET, Batman!
And guess what? Chances are, you've already been using the VoIP technology without even being aware of it, any time you've made a long distance telephone call recently. Many of the major phone companies are already using VoIP technology to reduce their own bandwidth . It's a simple matter of routing thousands of phone calls through a circuit switch and into an IP gateway. Once received on the other side of the gateway, the calls are decompressed, reassembled and routed back to a local circuit switch.
IP telephony is the wave of the future. It makes sense in terms of ROI, from both an economic and infrastructure point of view. It may take some time, but eventually all of the current circuit-switched networks that are in use today will be replaced by packet-switching technology. More and more businesses are already installing VoIP systems. And as the technology makes our way into our everyday language our lives, and our homes, it will continue to grow in popularity.
According to Forrester Research, they predict that nearly 5 million U.S. households will have VoIP phone service by the end of 2006. The two biggest advantages for home users so far are price and flexibility.
Currently, most VoIP phone companies offer plans similar to that of cell-phone companies - what are commonly called "minute-rate" plans for as little as $30 a month. And as with cell-phone plans, you can also get unlimited plans for around $79 a month. With the elimination of long-distances charges, unregulated charges, and all the freebies that come standard with your VoIP service, it can actually amount to a significant savings for you. For example, you may be paying extra for features like:
· Call waiting
· Three way calling
· Call forwarding
· Caller I.D.
· Repeat dial
· Last call return
With VoIP, they come standard. And then there are some advanced features that make VoIP something worth looking into. With some carriers, you can set up call-filtering options, and actually have some control over how calls from certain numbers are handled. For example, you can:
· Forward the call to a particular number
· Send the call directly to voicemail
· Give the caller a busy signal
· Play a "not in service" message
· Send the caller to a funny rejection hotline
With most VoIP services, you can also check your voice mail on the Internet, or attach messages to an email that is sent directly to your computer or handheld. (By the way, if you're interested in any of these features, not all VoIP companies are created equal, so do a little shopping around first, because prices and services do vary).
The second benefit that makes VoIP so attractive for home and small business users is the flexibility. With VoIP you can make a call anywhere you can get broadband connectivity. Since the IP phones or ATAs broadcast information over the Internet, they can be administered by any provider. For business travelers, this means they can take their phone or ATA with them on the road, and never miss a home phone call!
By using a softphone, (which is client software that loads your VoIP service onto your desktop or laptop), you can make calls from your laptop anywhere in the broadband-connected world, with just a headset and microphone.
In a way, VoIP is just a "better mousetrap." But it looks like it's one mousetrap that's here to stay.

2005-10-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
MLM - Fantastic or Fraud?
Be your own boss! Set your own schedule. Retire Early! Who doesn’t want that, right? Multi-level Marketing has been praised for allowing financial freedom; and it’s been criticized for being a big scam. As with any business venture, it’s buyer beware. Do your homework first. Both sides agree; it takes work. If anyone tries to tell you that it’s easy money, there’s so such thing. Also as with any new endeavor, you will need to make an initial investment. It takes money to make money. Below outlines the two schools of thought. You be the judge.
Some of the comments in favor of MLM include: "Donald Trump was asked on the Tonight Show, if he had to start all over from scratch what he would do - His answer...MLM". And yet another satisfied participant, "It is a wonderful combination of being your own boss and being mentored. It has a support system built right in and usually pretty neat products! I was involved with [company] for a while and the people were fabulous, products were great and the system of support was wonderful to have. I hear the same is true for many network marketing direct sales companies! I think MLM companies are great!"
Conversely, those who didn’t speak as highly include: "You only make money when you have lots of people under you. You spend a lot to stay in each month. I was required to spend more than I needed or could afford each month, so I had to quit. Seems to me the ones who do well are ones who can afford to really spend and have contacts already who have money they can spend as well. Then they in turn have contacts of their own that are the same. A lot of MLMs out there say you can make $X each month, but honestly there are few and far between who are really doing it. They hook those who want to work at home and need the money-only to lose them after they’re more broke than they started." Continued another disgruntled former MLMer, "Unfortunately too many try to convince you that it is so easy. If it were so easy, everyone would be doing it. I have been in several different MLM companies and have experienced constant changes in the compensation plan. As we all know, the compensation plan is what gets our attention."
So there you have it, both sides of the coin. All would concur that Multi-Level Marketing is not for everyone. But that’s why there are so many different flavors of ice cream. There truly is something for everyone. All in all, the bottom line is there needs to be passion and drive to make your business work, regardless if it is MLM or more traditional sole proprietorship or corporation. If money is your only motivator it will likely fail. You need to believe in your product or service or you can simply plan on failing.
Do your due diligence when researching various opportunities.

2005-10-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Build a System for Freedom
Every entrepreneur knows that setting goals is crucial to business success. If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived? Or, more importantly, when you're heading in completely the wrong direction?
If you're the owner of a small business, what is your goal? To make it to the end of the month with enough money in the bank to cover the payroll? To take a holiday for the first time in five years?
Every small business owner should have the same goal - sooner or later, to become independent of the business. Small businesses turn into big businesses only when they are able to operate smoothly without the owner being present. When you can stay away for a week, or a month, or a year, and return to find the business running better than before you left, you have the opportunity to do whatever you like - sell the business and start a new one, retire, buy a yacht and sail around the world.
True financial independence is the ability to live your life doing what YOU want to do. Do you really want to show up for work an hour early every day, leave late at night and never take a holiday, for the rest of your life? Surely not.
What is the key to being able to walk away?
It's simple. You need a system in place so that everyone in your business knows exactly what's expected of them.
When you take on a new employee, how do they learn what they're expected to do? Does an existing employee take them in charge, explaining how things work? How can you be sure that the new employee is learning what you want them to know?
As the owner of the business, it's your job to ensure that a system is put in place as the business grows. The system will ensure that everyone knows what they need to know to do their job effectively.
How do you think companies like McDonald's are able to manage thousands of restaurants across the planet? McDonald's Head Office doesn't sell hamburgers. They sell franchises, and their customers are the franchisees. The most valuable asset they have is their system. It regulates what employees wear, the words they say to customers, how many seconds a patty is left on the grill. to variables within their business, every contingency is dictated by the system.
The system makes it possible for new employees to fit in. They are educated on 'how we do things around here'. They are taught the specifics of their job. They may be required to sign a performance agreement.
In a well-designed system, there is still space for individual creativity. Better ways of doing things should always be sought out and encouraged - and written into the system for the future.
The system provides the framework for ensuring that the business is never entirely dependent on any one person. If you own the business, your future depends on the quality of your system.

2005-10-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Are You Ready To Become Self-Employed?
If you are interested in starting a business, or taking over one, you face a daunting task that carries a level of risk and excitement not possible in the 'employee' world.
If the financial independence of self-employment appeals to you - no boss, no income limits as to time and wage, and the ability to let your personal drive determine your compensation - then you will no doubt be eagerly going over the many options available to release you from your current job.
However, the rush of financial excitement must be tempered by the necessary cost of time, money and effort in properly setting yourself up independently.
Despite income claims made by business opportunity companies, or competing businesses, you must be ready to accept the reality of not seeing personal income for several months - or even years.
Starting a self-employed business on the side, while keeping regular employment as your financial security, is a wise method of ensuring your income.
Another option is to have substantial savings that permit you the freedom to pursue your dreams unencumbered with other employment. However, the savings must also be capable of carrying the costs of developing a business along with providing for your material needs.
Do you also recognize the time that is required in starting your own business? In some ways it is almost unnecessary to bring up the point since your passion will likely drive you to spend many hours in your pursuits. If you have other obligations; family, job, social etc. then you will have to consider if you CAN devote the time needed to get your business off the ground.
Having discussed both money and time, you must recognize that there is much more effort extended BEFORE a business is profitable than at any other time in your business. Yes, once you are getting work and are satisfied with the income level you may be very busy indeed but you will then be compensated for it. When you are still cultivating your business - marketing, doing free jobs, searching for clients and customers - you may not be seeing any income, or a very meager one, which makes your EFFORTS seem immense.
Do not falter! If you come to the point when you are working your hardest and doing everything your business requires but still not seeing monetary results, you may hit a psychological wall. This is where truly entrepreneurial individuals see an obstacle to overcome as opposed to a dead-end to their hard work. Passion for their work and the strong desire to work for themselves overcomes any perceived barriers and moves them to keep going and ultimately becoming very successful.
By persevering you will certainly see the fine fruits of your labors and prove to yourself and others that the benefits of self-employment far outweigh the mediocre status quo of the typical worker's daily grind.

2005-10-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Fine Tuning Your Ad Copy!
If you spend any time online, you have probably seen something like this: "ARE YOU SURCHING FOR A GAURANTEED BUSSINESS OPPERTUNITY? DOWNLAOD HERE" That may be extreme. Unfortunately it's not at all unusual.
One of the first lessons we're taught is to "wash behind your ears".
We also "don't air our dirty laundry in public".
Who hasn't heard the axiom: "You never get a SECOND CHANCE to make a GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION"?
Why then do so many Internet Marketers insist on ignoring these simple guidelines?
Instead of an attention grabbing introduction, that offensive headline simply sets off all the bells, whistles and sirens which proclaim: "dirty ears, dirty laundry and a lousy first impression---probably a lousy product". Nearly all serious prospects will instantly surf away from such flagrant carelessness.
Proofreading isn't all that difficult. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, find a friend.....or HIRE someone. Writing good copy is a challenge. Creating an effective website can take weeks or months.
Can you afford to throw away all that work over a few "typos", misspellings and missed punctuation marks?
Spell checkers are not the final answer either. Although they would have corrected the offending headline, they don't differentiate among "their", "they're" or "there". "Too", "two" and "to" are treated equally; so are "your" and "you're".
There is no substitute for intense and accurate proofreading. You also must realize that your own "proofing" becomes less effective with each read through. Your brain and eyes are already conditioned to see what you meant, and not always what you actually created. It is much more effective to have someone who is not familiar with your copy do additional proofreading for you.
Don't hesitate to call on friends and family. My ten year old granddaughter is one of my regulars. She loves to help in any way that she can; and I suspect that she gets a certain thrill out of catching "Poppy" in yet another "goof". Once she is finished proofing the copy, there is the bonus that I can then ask her to explain what she has just read. All too often, what seems so clear to me when I write it turns out to be not nearly so understandable to the reader.
I then ask "the light of my life" to read the copy aloud. Actually hearing what I have written turns out to be one of the most effective ways of finding the need for additional editing.
Nearly everything I publish these days goes out with the disclaimer: "Dear Reader, I spent eight years in a Catholic grade school. I am accustomed to having my knuckles smacked with a 12 inch wooden ruler for making spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. When you find the errors that my proofreading crew and I have missed, please bring them to our attention. A gentle reminder from you won't hurt a bit, and it beats the hell out of bloody knuckles."
So much for my methods. There are professional proofreading services available. Just consider them a necessary part of doing business. A quick "Google" for "proofreaders" just returned 304,000 possibilities.
A quick recap: PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD. Then PROOFREAD AGAIN........
.....and don't forget to wash behind your ears.

2005-10-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Dude Stop The Whining..........Get the Capital To Fund Your Business
Raising capital to start a new business may seem like a daunting task, but it need not be overwhelming if you follow a few basic business practices. If you have a viable idea that will net a return for your investors and prepare a compelling business plan the chances are good that you can find investors to join you.
Your first task is to create a business plan, sometimes known as a "business proposal" or "prospectus." Your business plan needs to be very detailed and concise. You should include information about your educational background, experience and training in the area of business you are contemplating. Just like a resume for a job, include references and any other favorable personal qualities that you feel reinforce the reasons why an investor should trust in your ideas.
It can’t hurt to include any information you feel comfortable sharing with regard to your positive credit history. If you have records of various satisfied loans along with the payment history, that information could be helpful to prove your stability with regard to financial obligations.
If you are requesting financing for an existing business the rules are a bit different than a new business startup. The current owner should be able to provide you with profit and loss statements. If you are purchasing an online business, statistical information pertaining to traffic, number of units sold and paid advertising are definitely necessary. The purchase price of the business needs to be included along with detailed information about how you intend to service the debt as well as how the potential investor will benefit from your request.
If you are seeking investors for a new business, the information required increases. In addition to the information outlined above, you will need to include market research, projected costs and a detailed summary of how you intend to generate income. This information needs to be projected for a period of three to five years. It’s a good idea to project your expenses on the high side.
Have some idea of what you expect to pay your investor. The only reason someone is going to lend you money is if they can see decent profits in exchange for lending it to you. Your market research had best substantiate that your plan is viable and will provide them with sufficient return on investment to justify their involvement.
Before you begin your search for investors, it’s a good idea to have an attorney and/or accountant take a look at your plan. A good professional may suggest specific points that you may have overlooked.
Once your paperwork is in order, it’s time to start looking for investors. One place to begin your search might be friends or family. You might approach them singularly or in a group. Whatever method, you need to have a complete copy of your proposal carefully outlining your research and what they can expect in return for their assistance.
Read the classified pages of your local newspaper. Venture capitalists often advertise this way. Their rates are usually pretty high because they have a tendency to take on "risky" investments. A twist on this method might be to run your own ad either locally or nationally. If you select this method, explain the particulars and emphasize how much they can expect to receive for the load of their funds.
Use local business directories to find companies that specialize in "investment services." You can approach a local bank, but try and find a bank that specializes in industrial or business type loans.
You might consider incorporating and selling stock in the company.
Another option might be a "money broker." This can be risky. There are some legitimate brokers and others who operate on the shady side.
Be creative. If you believe in your idea, don’t be afraid to do what ever it takes to launch. There are plenty of ways to come up with the capital you need. Think outside the box. Whether you are looking for $300 or $300,000 the money is there you just need to dig for it.

2005-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
5 Sources of Equity Capital for Your Business

If you're thinking about getting outside or equity capital to help fund your business, there are some things you need to do first, that can make your business more attractive to investors. Follow these simple ideas, and you'll be well on your way to raising the money you need.
First, always talk to a qualified business attorney (not your family lawyer). There are a lot of laws pertaining to how equity capital can be raised from the public, and the laws change often. You need someone who understands not only these laws, but also how to make sure that any business contracts are written to protect you and your business, especially the fine print.
1. Getting money from relatives. Yes, it can seem like begging, and it's a difficult thing to have to swallow your pride. Surprisingly, in a recent survey, almost 30% of entrepreneurs said that they raised all or part of the capital they needed through family members. If this is your choice, make sure that you have your attorney draw up a regular business contract. When approaching family members, talk to them about their investment the same way you would any other outside investor. Tell them about how much money they can make, not about how much you need their help. And make sure that you keep to your end of the agreement.
2. Using your savings or credit cards. This is the most common way for entrepreneurs to raise needed business capital. Before choosing this method however, talk with your financial advisor. You want to look at the long-term consequences of using your savings, life insurance or credit cards, especially in the event that your business venture fails, or does not bring in the projected return on investment (ROI). If you do end up financing your project using credit cards, make sure that you shop around first, and find the card that will offer you the best rate and gives you the most "bang" for your buck.
3. Venture Capital and Angel Investors. Before even looking for venture capital, look at your company from an outsider's point of view. Ask yourself these questions: Does your company have a solid track record? (Most venture capitalists don't invest in start up companies). Does your company have the potential of becoming very large in the next five to seven years? (People don't invest in your company out of the goodness of their hearts. They're looking for a return on their investment -- the larger the better.) Does your company own a good percentage of its market, or does it stand to gain a large percentage in the next 12 to 18 months? (Contrary to popular belief, your company doesn't have to be involved in high tech to attract venture capital). If you can answer yes to the above questions, your next step is to find a venture capital firm whose ideals and goals are in line with yours. Your next step should be to look at your "circle of influence" and see if you know someone who can give you a personal introduction to someone at the venture capital firm. (People invest in people, not just companies.)
4. Potential or Current Employees. Surprisingly, one of the most common ways (especially for new companies) to raise equity capital, is by inviting your potential or current employees the opportunity to become investors. With this method, not only do you get a really committed workforce, but many equity employees are also willing to accept a below-market wage in the beginning (especially if you do the same). There are other benefits, but this choice is not without its pitfalls as well. Again, before going this route, talk to your business attorney, and put policies into place that plan for potential problems. For example, what do you do if an employee's work becomes substandard? Or an employee quits and goes into competition with you after learning all of the company secrets? Putting a risk management plan into place and considering all contingencies is your best bet for this option.
5. Taking your company public. Although security laws in the U.S. have made it easier for companies to go public, and offer stock as a way to raise needed funds, this is still probably the most risky choice. It is usually not a recommended option for very new or very small companies. Because of the number of legal issues involved, consulting with a knowledgeable attorney beforehand is vital. There is also a lot of stress involved in running a public company, and a considerable loss of autonomy and control. Before making this choice, be absolutely sure that this is the wisest course of action for your business.
No matter which choice you make in looking for equity capital, by planning ahead, doing your homework and following the advice of your attorney, you'll increase the probability of raising the money you need and making the relationship between you and your investors a profitable one.

2005-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
Internet Marketing Is DEAD!
INTERNET MARKETING IS DEAD AND YOU MUST EVOLVE!
Internet Marketing has kicked the bucket! The Internet, having gotten saturated with Marketing Ads, has drowned in its own filth.
There is a word for what Internet marketing spews forth...the word is GARBAGE! And it's a mess cleaning it up, often requiring spam filters, ad-ware & spy-ware removers, and pop-up blockers.
Internet Marketing worked for a while, and we put up with it for a while longer. The Internet was new, and everything about it was a novelty. We'd not only read spam, but actually get exited about buying from the money mongering website linked to it. It's a bit like never having watched TV...you would probably get mesmerized even by the commercials!
The thing about television commercials is they sponsor the REAL products which are shown. Internet spam on the other hand, doesn't support anything beyond the greed of the advertiser.
IT'S OUTRIGHT, OVERT, OUTRAGEOUS INSANITY!
While spam is filling up our "inboxes" and taking up space on our computers, the friends, relatives, and co-workers we need to hear from can't get through.
Who should be blamed for all this? Internet Service Providers and ISP's are doing what they can about the situation, but the viral parasites are still there. It's up to each one of us to resist as best we can, recognizing that Internet Marketing is not the get-rich-quick scheme some may say it is.
Learn how to spot internet advertisements by the words in their headlines. Then you will be less apt to waste time reading the remaining ad copy. The advertisement can be put where it belongs...in the email delete folder!
WHAT INTERNET MARKETERS CAN DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM
If you are an Internet Marketer you can increase sales and start hauling in the extra cash! It's easy.
Just give people what they really want. Then you're no longer seen as a seller, but as a friend, a helper and someone that can be trusted.
This can be accomplished by answering people's questions, as on forums, where "How To" explanations can be provided. Put forth solutions to problems. Reveal news that is of interest to your market.
Once you start to freely provide people with information they become open to what you have to say, open to what you have to sell. Soon you will be back in business big-time.
So, summing it up, you need to provide reliable written content to your clients. This will jump-start your business and promote trust in both you and your business.
Tips On Getting Your Web Site Spidered Quickly

The world of internet marketing is a highly competitive place. As a beginning internet marketer there are some basic things you should know about how search engines spider and index your web site. Unless the search engines find your web site and index it, there is no way the general public will know that it is there.
After you have created your web site and chosen the products or services you want to provide, you will be ready to get your site listed with the search engines. When developing your marketing strategy, it is important to include a plan to get your web site spidered quickly. In order to get your site indexed you must let the search engine spiders know you are there in the first place.
You may have wondered if there are ways to lure the spiders to your web site other than manual submission. The good news is that many SEOs recommend the following methods rather than submitting your pages directly.
The best way to get your site spidered quickly is to link your web site to another site that is already indexed, that is related to your site, and that is spidered frequently. Having your site mentioned in news releases, blogs, and so on can get your site your web site spidered very quickly, sometimes within days.
You can also use the more traditional methods including posting in forums and providing articles for the various article directories. If you choose this route, be careful not to spam. Follow the posted rules, give helpful answers, and do not go overboard on your "sig file". Private forums are not always indexed, so make certain that the forums where you post display recent posts and are listed in search results.
No matter which method you choose to get your web site spidered, you will need a good site map. A site map lists and links to all pages on your site. If your site consists of over approximately one hundred pages, consider using a multi-page site map. Make certain that every site map page links to all other site map pages. You should have a link to your site map on your home page and preferably on each of your pages. You should make sure your web site pages are simple and free of useless clutter.
Getting your web site spidered quickly is the most important thing you can do to achieve success as an internet marketer. Using the methods suggested above can be very helpful in getting your web site indexed.

2005-10-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business
An Assassin's Guide To Writing Killer Email Ads

No doubt you have heard about web copywriters who charge as much $5,000 (and sometimes more) to write effective sales copy. Are they worth it? You bet they are.
If you need sales copy for your own site and don’t have years to invest in learning how to do it, you’re best bet is to hire a copywriter. If your budget won’t allow that then you need to gain some copywriting skills and do it quickly.
Let's take a look at a "before" and "after" scenario. By the way, this is a "real life" example, only the name was changed in deference to the site owner.

BEFORE
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JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS is an e-mail options service that has been called one of the best advisory services. JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS uses a unique system to find options under accumulation by smart money
This system compares the volume of an option to the open interest. When volume exceeds open interest by a specific ratio, it could be a sign of accumulation by knowledgeable investors.
JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS uses a combination of technical and fundamental analyses and listens to what the market is telling us. And while past performance is not a guarantee of future results, we have had 10 WINNERS OUT OF OUR LAST 12 CLOSED TRADES. There is no need to be watching the market during the day.
What would you pay for one of the best options service - a service that has produced REAL TRIPLE DIGIT PROFITS?
The cost of the service is:
(1) $5 per month subscription fee, and;
(2) 5% of the profits from each trade we are successful on
Some examples of previous trades JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS have been correct on are:
TRADE/PROFITS
Price Communication 75%, Biovail 100%, Oracle 300% , Teletech 350%, Intel 157%, SQLBE 100%, SXQDC 200 %, SCIX 125%, FFTI 75%
Please e-mail us your e-mail address and mailing address since you will be notified by e-mail that we have received your funds. The mailing address is for shipment of your receipt.
For contact, my e-mail address is
johndoe@johndoinvestments.com
To limit cost, as well as to prevent fraud, we do not accept credit cards.
WE ONLY ACCEPT CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS, AND BANK DRAFTS.
Please make your funds payable and send to:
JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS
*****************************
AFTER
*****************************
"How to buy options stocks with the strongest earnings and price momentum"
Dear Friend,
Learn how to...select 10 WINNERS OUT OF 12 CLOSED TRADES. Hold a trade from 1 week to a maximum of 7 months with profit targets ranging from 30 to 300% or more.
If this sounds good to you, then this might be the most important letter you'll ever read.
Here's why:
JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS is an e-mail options service. Our "Unique System Finds Options Under Accumulation By Smart Money".
Now, I know you're probably skeptical. That's normal, but let me give you three good reasons we can back up what we claim:
Three Reasons To Believe What I Say
Reason one: Take a look at our track record
TRADE/PROFITS
Price Communication 75%, Biovail 100%, Oracle 300% , Teletech 350%, Intel 157%, SQLBE 100%, SXQDC 200 %, SCIX 125%, FFTI 75%
Reason two: Unlike most newsletters, JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS does not throw 20-30 trades at you each week. In fact, because of the high standards that our trades must meet, we average 1-2 trades per month. Each trade is held from 1 week to a maximum of 7 months with profit targets ranging from 30 to 300% or more.
Reason three: My clients are primarily professional people. . . lawyers, doctors and politicians. All seeking my advice, so you know you are in good company
Here is a summary of the benefits you receive:
Weekly options service
Buy options only on stocks with strongest earnings and price momentum
Special alerts
Avoid costly mistakes take advantage of great tips
Arrives every weekend
Plan your weekly trading
Provides the right information at the right time
No more guesswork
Cost effective
Save precious hours
Now, you're probably wondering how we can do this.
Let me explain.
JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS uses a unique system to find options under accumulation by "smart money". This system compares the volume of an option to the open interest.
When volume exceeds open interest by a specific ratio, it could be a sign of accumulation by "knowledgeable investors". And while past performance is not a guarantee of future results, we have had 10 WINNERS OUT OF OUR LAST 12 CLOSED TRADES.
Don't take my word for it. Listen to what our customers say.
"this is the first time I used your service to make a trade. I bought long puts at $1.00 and sold them for $1.90 for EMC. I want to thank you." JOH
"I bought (EMC June 35 puts) at 1.910 and sold at 4.20. Thanks for the recommendation." RW
" I am dizzy. This is my first month with JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS ( let's just say that it's not going to be my last). I got in at 0.75 and sold at $4.30 - over 500% profit. I don't know how to thank you. This is amazing. And the best part? I did it in 7 business days. I love you man." JK.
Okay, that sounds pretty good, BUT: Do NOT buy JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS unless it meets the following 6 criteria for you.
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding our field. I want to give you 6 criteria or elements you absolutely, positively must have in any solution you obtain:
One: Eliminates the guesswork.
Two: Gives you a precise entry and exit point.
Three: Compares the volume of an option to the open interest
Four: Does not throw 20-30 trades at you each week
Five: Arrives via email
Six: Gives you special alerts
You get at least 10 times your money's worth!
Similar reports cost anywhere from $70-99 a month. We've seen some as high as $1000 a year or more and with far less content!
What is your time worth? What you save in time, money and frustration is worth 10 or 20 times more than the low monthly fee for our service.
In summary, here's what you get:
Weekly options service
Buy options only on stocks with strongest earnings and price momentum
Special alerts
Avoid costly mistakes take advantage of great tips
Arrives every weekend
Plan your weekly trading
Provides the right information at the right time
No more guesswork
Cost effective
Save precious hours
Low monthly fee
If you respond right away, you pay only $50 per month!
Act immediately and receive the following offer
Since I know it's 100% to your benefit to act right away, I want to sweeten the pot and give you every possible reason to say YES today! If you respond immediately, you'll also receive the following:
First week absolutely FREE
You can't lose with our 100%, ironclad, moneyback guarantee
By the way, the reports are yours to keep even in the unlikely event you decide to take advantage of our ironclad moneyback guarantee:
"Your satisfaction is assured through our no risk, you-can't-lose, 100%, no-questions-asked, iron-clad money back guarantee. If for any reason, you aren't thrilled and satisfied with our product, just contact us within your first 30 days and we'll refund 100% of your purchase price. No hard feelings."
"What I'm saying is, don't decide now if this product is for you. Just get it and try it out. If it doesn't do everything I say and more, if you don't save money, time and frustration, if it isn't life-changing, if it doesn't work for you, you have nothing to worry about because you can get every dime of your money back under our no-loopholes guarantee. So you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
Here's how to order right now!
Special First Month Offer $38.47
1 month subscription $50.00
3-month subscription $100.00
6-month subscription $175.00
12-month subscription $300.00
24-month subscription $500.00
We do not accept credit card payments because of the possibility of fraud.
Please make your checks payable to JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS and mail to:
JOHN DOE INVESTMENTS
To your success,
John Doe
P.S. "Remember, the offer for one free week is limited. I can only guarantee you'll receive that if you order right away. So don't delay. Act now while it's fresh on your mind."
*****************************
SAMPLE ENDS
*****************************
This site owner was getting a tremendous amount of traffic to his site, however, his logs show that viewers were clicking away within two to five seconds.
Read before and after carefully and see if you can pick out all the differences. It's an interesting exercise.

2005-10-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business Vlogs and Wikis and Pods, oh my!
Perhaps you've heard about blogs - the hottest communication story of last year. Commentators from Newsweek to the Wall Street Journal, from CNN to PBS have devoted time to the phenomenon. Blogs are just one of the new technologies that are changing the way politicians communicate with voters and businesses communicate with customers.
For marketers, these changes mean more direct interaction with customers and potential customers. By speaking and listening directly with the customer marketers are able to reduce the expense for public relations and advertising. Of course, these developments are worrying some in the pr and advertising industries, as well as the news media.
Many things about marketing communication won't change, of course: you still need to have something to say. And the best way to apply all these technologies is still within a business niche. With that said, here are some of the other ways communication is changing:
1. Podcasting is the hottest idea on the internet. Starting in 2004, people began downloading homebrewed radio shows to their iPods. So instead of "broadcasts" they're "podcasts". Unlike streaming audio, podcasts require the file to be downloaded. The advantage of podcasts versus streaming is that you can take it with you when you're not on the net. The disadvantage is that streaming audio is much easier for a customer to play at his or her computer. The solution is to do both - create an audio file for streaming, and an mp3 for podcasting. The same recording can be used for both.
2. A vlog is a video blog. Unlike podcasting, vlogging can refer to either streaming video or downloadable shows. Combined with the rapid development of internet video delivery, vlogging seems poised to take off. As with audio, you can prepare your video file in both streaming and downloadable formats. Also like audio, you can begin with very low-cost tools and work your way up to full blown professional equipment. Remember that people like good production quality, but they like watching something interesting even more.
3. Wikis are websites that are editable by the site users. Content becomes part of a dialogue among the users, instead of something fixed. This interaction can build strong communities, and produce large sites with enormous information. Up until recently, wikis have been difficult to use, and limited to techs. New approaches to wikis are making them easier to use, and reinforcing the next trend:
4. Social software. Community sites that encourage sharing and conversation are springing up in many areas. Photography and music have been drivers of this trend, in addition to political activism. Interaction builds community, and community is where the market is.
5. Almost all of these tools involve RSS, a technology for feeding information to people who want it. Unlike email, which is "pushed" by the sender, rss feeds have to be "pulled" by the user. While still not completely mainstream, rss is a rapidly growing delivery system.
For the small marketer, the price of reaching customers directly has dropped. Large corporations, though, are picking up on these technologies rapidly. To truly gain an edge, the small business person needs to develop a strategy for these channels before the big companies figure them out.

2005-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Internet Home Business 10 Costly Search Engine Mistakes to Avoid
If you have a website then you already know the importance of traffic. Traffic is to Internet marketing as location is to real estate. It's the only thing that really matters. If you cannot generate targeted visitors to your site, you will not make any sales.
Usually the owner or designer of the website is the person designated to drive traffic to the site. The chief ingredient in generating traffic is the search engine. Of coarse, you can use advertising, but it's going to cost you. Using the search engines to generate targeted (interested in your product) traffic is the least expensive method known.
Unfortunately, many website owners do not understand the importance of search engine visibility, which leads to traffic. They place more importance on producing a "pretty" website. Not that this is bad, but it is really secondary to search engine placement. Hopefully, the following list of common mistakes, made by many website owners, will help you generate more targeted traffic to your site...after all, isn't that what you want.
1. Not using keywords effectively.
This is probably one of the most critical area of site design. Choose the right keywords and potential customers will find your site. Use the wrong ones and your site will see little, if any, traffic.
2. Repeating the same keywords.
When you use the same keywords over and over again (called keyword stacking) the search engines may downgrade (or skip) the page or site.
3. Robbing pages from other websites.
How many times have you heard or read that "this is the Internet and it's ok" to steal icons and text from websites to use on your site. Don't do it. Its one thing to learn from others who have been there and another to outright copy their work. The search engines are very smart and usually detect page duplication. They may even prevent you from ever being listed by them.
4. Using keywords that are not related to your website.
Many unethical website owners try to gain search engine visibility by using keywords that have nothing at all to do with their website. They place unrelated keywords in a page (such as "sex", the name of a known celebrity, the hot search topic of the day, etc.) inside a meta tag for a page. The keyword doesn't have anything to do with the page topic. However, since the keyword is popular, they think this will boost their visibility. This technique is considered spam by the search engines and may cause the page (or sometimes the whole site) to be removed from the search engine listing.
5. Keyword stuffing.
Somewhat like keyword stacking listed above, this means to assign multiple keywords to the description of a graphic or layer that appears on your website by using the "alt=" HTML parameter. If the search engines find that this text does not really describe the graphic or layer it will be considered spam.
6. Relying on hidden text.
You might be inclined to think that if you cannot see it, it doesn't hurt. Wrong.... Do not try to hide your keywords or keyword phrases by making them invisible. For example, some unethical designers my set the keywords to the same color as the background of the web page; thereby, making it invisible.
7. Relying on tiny text.
This is another version of the item above (relying on hidden text). Do not try to hide your keywords or keyword phrases by making them tiny. Setting the text size of the keywords so small that it can barely be seen does this.
8. Assuming all search engines are the same.
Many people assume that each search engine plays by the same rules. This is not so. Each has their own rule base and is subject to change anytime they so desire. Make it a point to learn what each major search engine requires for high visibility.
9. Using free web hosting.
Do not use free web hosting if you are really serious about increasing site traffic via search engine visibility. Many times the search engines will eliminate content from these free hosts.
10. Forgetting to check for missing web page elements.
Make sure to check every page in your website for completeness, like missing links, graphics, etc. There are sites on the web that will do this for free.
This is just a few of the methods and techniques that you should avoid. Do not give in to the temptation that these methods will work for you. They will do more harm than good for your website.
Not only will you spend weeks of wasted effort, you may have your site banned from the search engines forever. Invest a little time to learn the proper techniques for increasing search engine visibility and your net traffic will increase.