Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly Newsletter

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Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #41 August 30, 2002
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
Marketing Is A Game
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
The Six Secrets of Business Success
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Marketing Is A Game

Dave Cole
Prosperity: The Choice Is Yours
Copyright © 2002

Dave's E-zine provides you with valuable info on how you can
make money and advertise your business online. All
subscribers get 1 Free ad Every week.
Get your FREE subscription today.

http://choosetoprosper.com

Editor's Comments: This is a good article focusing on how
marketing can be done.
------------------------------------------------------------

Marketing is a game, very similar to the game of baseball.

As most of our readers know, I manage the local Pony
baseball team. This past weekend we played in an 8 team
tournament, and managed to get to the final game, only
to settle for a second place trophy.

The first game we played in the tournament, we lost. It
was early Saturday morning when my boys took the field.
We were the first place team in our league, but that day
we would be facing teams from various leagues around
the area.

When the other team started arriving and as each of their
players walked onto the field, it seemed like each boy got
bigger and bigger. Soon I started to hear my kids saying
things like, "Boy, look at those guys....look how big they
are!"

As my team was sitting there watching the other team warm
up they were all saying, "We can't beat these guys, they're
too big and they hit the ball too good."

Well guess what happened?

Yep, first game we lost. We had 11 of our batters strike
out, many of them missing the ball by 2 feet or more! And my
team came into this game averaging 10 runs a game! We only
got 3 hits and 1 run in the game.

We lost that game before the first pitch was even thrown!

Now, here we have my team, in first place in our league,
we've beat almost everyone by 10 runs or more this season,
we're playing great ball and we fall flat on our face.

Reason why ===> My boys "knew" they couldn't win that
game because the opposition "looked" bigger and stronger
and better than they did. They talked themselves right into
being losers.......they looked at the adversity and saw a
giant......instead of looking at who they were and what they
had already accomplished....and what they could accomplish.

Well we came back from that loss and fortunately played a
team of "small" kids the next game. That got the boys heads
back on track. And we went on to have a really big win
on Sunday against a team of boys that were even bigger
than the first team!

Sunday I managed to get the boys to look at who "they
were...instead of who they were playing" and they came
through with a very big upset victory over the team that
everyone thought was going to win the entire tournament.

The only difference between the first game and the game
on Sunday was the boys mental attitude. On Sunday they
were somebody. They were the ones who were in control
of themselves and the game. They were in charge of their
thoughts.

When they walked out on that field Sunday they went there
with a purpose to be the best they could be. And they knew
they could play a good game against anybody.

They didn't look at the adversity, they didn't look at the
opposition, they didn't see the giants in the other dugout..
they saw the giant within themselves instead.

And so I'm asking you today, when you go to do your daily
tasks with your marketing business, what are you looking at?

Are you looking at all the past failures you've had, or at
all the adversity out there, or thinking about all the
reasons why you "can't make money" or "can't seem to get
sales" or "can't seem to get your ads clicked on"......
...and all the hundred and one other reasons why it's not
happening for you.

Or are you looking at the "giant" within you and who you
really are, and what past victories you've already
accomplished, and what future victories you will accomplish.

The game of baseball is 90% mental.

The game of marketing is 90% mental.

As Napoleon Hill said, "You can if you think you can......
if you think you can't, you won't."

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From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Big week this week! I've debuted three new things: two new
eBooks and a new website. The eBooks are "The Layman's
Guide to Doing Business Online" and "A Complete Overview of
Marketing on the Internet." Both are collections of my most
popular articles from this newsletter.

If you are interested in a copy of either book, please email
me.

The new website is a marketing site geared towards driving
traffic. I get so many requests and questions from people
wanting to know how they can drive traffic quickly to their
website - considering that the search engines can take,
literally, months - without spending the money required to
get listed well on Overture. After some research and some
work, I found a great program and built a website around it:

http://www.hitsguaranteed.net

*------------------COUPON------------------*
Mention this ad when you order a package
from HitsGuaranteed.net and receive a
10% DISCOUNT!*
*-----------------COUPON-------------------*
*Refunded via PayPal or discounted from money-order/check
payment.

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Readers Talk Back!
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"Another way to "tickle" your memory is to send a "scheduled
email" to yourself. Many email packages support at least a
"deliver on" date. This ensures that the reminder comes to
you in a manner you expect and dosen't give your cat the
opportunity to reschedule your appointments by knocking the
card box on the floor..."
--Rob K.

Editor: Hey, Rob! Thanks for the email. I believe that I
ran a Joe Bingham article related to this a few issues ago.
Looking at the archives, it was the June 31, 2002 issue
(#31) and is titled "Email Your Brain To Tomorrow." You can
see the article at this link:
http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/resources/newsletter/
articles.shtml?emailbrain
[Cut-and-paste as necessary.]

"Your books are as informative as your weekly newsletter,
rich with helpful idea's! They provide insight to the many
questions that arise in the day to day world of web business
owners and the newbie alike!"
--Chris B. (http://www.adultbookmall.com)

Editor: Thanks, Chris! I have to be honest here, though,
this was a solicited comment that I asked for during the
market-test phase of my books' release. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
The Six Secrets of Business Success
by Judy Camp, (c) Paradox Productions, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Judy Camp has been a writer and marketing manager for
twenty years, and has focused on web marketing for the past
five years. Her web site http://www.ourbusinessoffice.com
provides resources for web businesses. To sign up for her
ezine, send mailto:subscribe@ourbusinessoffice.com

Editor's Comments: Pay attention here. This is a great
article which covers a subject I regularly revisit in my own
business.
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We all want to succeed in business, but schools often
don’t teach the underlying secrets that can determine
business success:

1) Watch out for unprofitable habits. Ask yourself if
there would be any real problem if you stopped doing
certain tasks. Spend most of your time on what you love,
and what you do best. Eliminate some tasks, and think
about paying for the necessary services you dislike or
find time consuming.

2) Keep your eye on the brass ring. Dream about your
perfect life, and quiet that voice that says it can't
happen. Visualize it at least once a week, adding more
detail each time. You'll find yourself able to make
decisions that help create that life. Set goals, but be
flexible.

3) Study your competition, and keep abreast of your
industry. You don’t want to lag behind. Focus on the
leaders, and what they are doing. Don’t copy, but
creatively address the trends.

4) Listen to people, and be pleasant. Avoid bragging, which
makes people jealous. By showing interest in other people
and paying them sincere compliments, they become indebted
to you. Listen to your customers, and when you communicate,
make their needs and desires the focus of the conversation.

5) Eliminate negative talk, including gossiping and
complaining. Remain friendly with everyone, but spend
the majority of your time with people who have a win-win
attitude. Help each other succeed.

6) Once you have figured out where you want to end up,
study the lives and advice of others who have succeeded
doing the same thing. They have made many mistakes, and
have learned to avoid them, which can save you time and
agony.

These six steps will transform your life, and put you on
the road to business success.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:subscribe]

To unsubscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:unsubscribe]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #40 Aug. 23, 2002
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
Email Marketing Without SPAMming
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Follow-Ups (from "Weekly Advice Column")
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


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Email Marketing Without SPAMming
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

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A few months ago, I wrote a series of articles on online
marketing - the last of which dealt with email marketing and
SPAM. This article in particular garnered many responses
from readers both for and against the idea of mass-email
marketing of any type. You can read that article online at
this URL:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/resources/newsletter/
articles.shtml?spam
[Cut-and-paste if required.]

Although that article is itself a great resource, I still
find myself being asked questions about the use of email
marketing online. Since I didn't go into depth about the
specifics of marketing using email in that previous
article, I thought another was in order.

The definition of SPAM or UCE is hard to come by. Some
people say that all emails that are not asked for are SPAM.
Others contend that all emails that aren't wanted are SPAM.
Still more say that SPAM applies to everything the
recipient doesn't want to see. I personally consider only
commercial emails that the user doesn't want to receive AND
didn't sign up for knowing what he or she was getting into
as SPAM (UCE). Jokes from well-meaning friends,
newsletters, "updates" from those businesses I've asked to
keep me updated, etc. are NOT UCE. If I asked for it, I
can't complain about it as being SPAM. The only exception
to this rule is the emails I may have asked for at one time,
but have no way to respond to or remove myself so that I
don't get it again.

Using my definition of what is SPAM or UCE, how do you go
about sending email or marketing yourself online without
crossing into that "SPAMmer" category? First and foremost,
KNOW WHO YOU ARE SENDING YOUR EMAIL TO. You don't have to
be familiar with each recipient personally, but you'd better
know whether or not they really want to hear what you have
to offer. Always keep that in mind when sending an email to
anyone, especially if it's an email meant to market your
product or service.

Building An Opt-In List
For anyone with an established website and a known web
presence, building an opt-in list is generally an easy
affair. The best type of list is the "double opt-in list."
This simply means that the subscriber to the list was
required to complete at least two steps - apart from one
another - to join the list. Usually this means that the
user filled out a web form (name, email, etc.) and submitted
it. They were then emailed with a "click here to activate
your subscription"-type link. Once they click on the link,
they are subscribed to the list. This strategy prevents
those who aren't sure what they're doing from joining and,
more importantly, keeps Bob from signing up his friend/enemy
Larry without Larry's consent.

Whether your website is brand new or well established, you
should be collecting customer contact information (email
addresses) for further contact. You can provide a free
newsletter, periodic updates via email, or "exclusive
opportunities" for those who join. There must be some kind
of incentive or you won't gather many email addresses. For
an established website, this is usually enough. You already
have traffic to see your offer and sign up. You need do
little more.

For the new site, though, this is only a portion of the
battle. The real effort comes in marketing your offer to
drive traffic to your website and build your opt-in list.
There are a LOT of great ways to do this without causing
much of a stir. My favorite is to participate meaningfully
in discussion lists related to your business. I spend a lot
of time in Web Design and Development forums speaking with
others in the business as well as amateurs just looking for
tips and help. Doing this without pushing myself down
people's throats has gained me both fame and website
traffic.

Another way to gather fast results is to advertise in
newsletters/e-zines related to your business. Every
business has trade, gossip, or news-related publications
both on and offline. An advertisement in an e-zine online
can get you 3,000 people looking at an ad you only spent $10
to list! The best thing about the Internet is that these
ads can usually include a hyperlink so that they can read
your ad (which hopefully contains some kind of call-to-
action) and immediately click through to your website!

A slower and more time-consuming way to get the word out is
to talk to the publishers of these e-zines, the writers who
write articles for them, and even to the website owners of
related websites and tell them about your product, service,
or offer. If what you have seems interesting enough, they
may write an article or include a "blurb" free of charge!
Or even trade links with you to help each other promote
your individual websites.

You Have The List, What Now?
Now that you've got a list of those interested, you'll have
more considerations. The first is the question of how each
individual subscriber will remove themselves from your list
if they so desire. Most list maintenance programs allow for
this. At the very simplest, you can make sure they know how
to email or contact you for removal. Make sure that
EVERYTHING you send to this list of subscribers includes
instructions for removal from the list. Not doing so
immediately places you into the "SPAMmer" category.

What will you use to email to this list? There are a lot of
options, including online email services, server-based bulk
mail handlers, and PC-based software that does the same
through your Internet connection. Each has pros and cons to
consider. For instance, the online service may or may not
store your list for you and therefore you may have worries
about them stealing the list and selling it. This can
happen. Another example is the PC-based system. If you
routinely send out several thousand emails from your
Internet account, your ISP may start to wonder just what it
is you're doing. Many will shut you down and ask questions
later. Make sure they are aware of what you're doing and
don't have a problem with it. This will keep you out of hot
water.

What and When To Send
Don't send things willy-nilly to your list. The more often
you send things, the more often you will have people wanting
to unsubscribe to avoid your constant barrage. As a general
rule, sending twice a week at maximum is acceptable. The
shorter your emails, the less likely you are to receive
complaints or unsubscriptions.

Don't send more than you have to. If you are sending your
emails using an HTML format, make sure the design is simple,
clean, and uses few graphics. The more you use, the larger
the email. The larger the email, the longer it takes to
download and view. Whatever you do, DO NOT include browser-
control "features" or code that automatically redirects the
browser to a website. Very few people like these and it's
not widely supported by many email clients, so a lot of your
readers may see only garbage in their email.

Only send useful information for your readers. Don't send
information that you wouldn't want to read if you were a
prospective customer. Your email recipients probably don't
want to read about your dog Tilly, your son's graduation
from Webelos, or your new-found love of dirt farming. They
want to know how you're work/offer is going to benefit THEM.
And they want to know this in as little time as possible.
Try not to ramble. This is my biggest struggle. :)

When You're Accused of SPAMming
When you do receive a SPAM complaint - and you will,
eventually - try to be professional about it. Remove the
person from your list immediately and, if needed, send all
pertinent details (including the signup process and a copy
of your Privacy Policy or Anti-SPAM Policy) to those who
need it. Let the person know, in a business-like and non-
aggressive manner, that they have been removed from your
list and will not receive further contact from you. From
then on, it's best to just ignore them if they continue to
harass you with complaints. So long as they aren't
receiving any more of your emails (without signing up for
them), they have nothing to complain about.

Despite the horror stories you may have heard (usually
perpetrated by SPAMmers who don't want things like SpamCop
or similar services to exist), you will NOT be blacklisted
after only one or two complaints. It takes several
complaints about the same instance and issue to get
blacklisted. Even then, these lists are generally temporary
and will only last a few months at the longest. Unless you
are a REAL SPAMmer or are ignoring one of the fundamental
rules of non-SPAM emailing, you will never get yourself
listed on one of those lists.

In the end, email is still a great marketing tool when used
properly. If you take the time to do the research, learn
what you need to know, and employ the tools you need to use;
you will benefit greatly from this powerful marketing tool.
If, instead, you rely on purchased "safe lists" and use
nefarious tools like "header screens," you'll eventually
reap the painful rewards you're due.

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Another interesting week on the Internet. I had the chance
to have a look at the new Macromedia Flash Communications
Server MX. These are basically built for communications
broadcasts (video, audio, etc.). The server creates a great
way to broadcast ANYTHING (conferences, radio, movies...)
over the Internet. Best of all, the user viewing the
broadcast needs only the Flash 6 player! I think you will
see this technology edge out some of the current techs. in
this niche market.

I am finalizing my new eBooks - they are currently being
proof read in "beta" mode. Anyone who reads this newsletter
and is interested in getting a copy of these books when they
are released to the public, please email me:
mailto:aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com

Another great resource I've been working on and will have
put together soon is a marketing source for those of you
who want to generate guaranteed eyeballs to your website.
I'll announce the new website for this in next week's issue.

Those of you who are more technical may be interested in a
great resource: cyber-routes.com. This site and its news-
letter are produced by Roy Troxel, who you may recognize
from his articles printed in past issues of this newsletter.
Check it out:
http://www.cyber-routes.com

Have a great week!

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, thanks for the preview of the new eBook! Great stuff
you have there!"
--Brian C.

"Great article on SPAM, Aaron. Can't wait to see the next
one."
--Bob L.

"Wow! Ooo [OpenOffice.org] is GREAT!"
--James P.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Weekly Column: "Expert Advice"
by Holly Cotter

Copyright (c) 2002 Holly Cotter.
Holly specializes in teaching others how to build multiple
streams of income on the internet using automation.
http://www.AbundantLivingOnline.com
Subscribe to Holly's popular ezine:
mailto:abundantlivingonline@igpronet.com
Sign up for Holly's FREE wealth-building eCourse:
mailto:SecretsReport@mailriches.com

Editor's Comments: This is a great little tip that I hadn't
though of myself!
------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Holly,

I can never seem to get organized! I have prospects I need
to call back to follow-up with, but I have so much trouble
keeping it straight. Any ideas? Help!!

-- LeeAnn M.

^^^^^^

Dear LeeAnn,

If you don't have a contact manager software program (like
ACT!), then the next best way is to use the old-fashioned
3x5 cardfile.

Whenever you speak with a prospect, write their name, phone
number, and any notes about them on a 3x5 card. Then write
the date you have scheduled a follow-up call along with a
note about what you are following up with them about.

In the 3x5 card filebox, you will need the following
separators:

- Months: Jan-Dec
- Numbers 1-31

The current month separator should be in the front of your
card filebox, with the number separators behind it. Place
the card with the prospect's name behind the number
separator with the day of the month you need to follow-up
with that person (if the follow-up is scheduled for a
different month, place the prospect card behind the
separator with the name of the appropriate month on it).

Every day, check your cardfile to see what prospects
(if any) are scheduled for callbacks that day. At the end
of the month, put the separator for that month to the back
of the cardfile so the current month is in front, and go
through the cards filed for the current month to place them
behind the appropriate number separator for callbacks.

As long as you remember to check your cardfile at the
beginning of each workday, this system should ensure that
you always follow-up in a timely manner with your
prospects.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:subscribe]

To unsubscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:unsubscribe]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #39 Aug. 16, 2002
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
SPAM: Open the Can Carefully…
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Over View and Review of OpenOffice.org
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
SPAM: Open the Can Carefully…
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

Editor's Comments: An issue or two ago, I ran an article
on reporting SPAM to SpamCop.net. I then received several
emails asking me how to avoid SPAM in the first place and
how to get rid of it once you've started receiving it.
Looking through the back-issues of the newsletter, I
realized that I'd never run an article on this subject!
------------------------------------------------------------

In the past several years, the word "Spam" has changed its
common meaning. Until the mid nineties, the word "spam" was
a household name referring to a "mystery" canned meat from a
company called Hormel. It was epitomized in a Monty Python
skit known as "The SPAM Skit." They managed to say the word
"SPAM" more than a hundred times in two-and-a-half minutes.

Nerds being nerds (name someone you know who you'd consider
a "computer geek" who DOESN'T know any piece of Monty Python
word-for-word), the name soon gained a new meaning. As
unwanted newsgroup postings on the Usenet grew, they began
to be called "SPAM" for their repetitiveness. Eventually
this came to be a "catch-all" phrase for any unwanted
communication through a computer.

Now the word is still a household name, but has a completely
new meaning. Meat in a can has nothing to do with what we
label "SPAM" today. Generally the term is in reference to
unwanted commercial email. UCE (Unsolicited Commercial
Email) is the proper term for what most people term to be
"SPAM."

Whatever you call it, you probably hate it. In several
polls (both official and amateur), Spam has been listed as
the number one annoyance to users on the Internet. It is
talked about more and more often as even the politicians
have begun to "do something about it." The trouble is no
one is REALLY doing much to stop it on a grand scale.

There are many steps in the right direction, however. For
now, let's talk about how someone, like you, puts themselves
in a position to receive Spam. Then we'll discuss how you
can avoid or get rid of it.

Getting On the SPAMmer's List
There are three common ways that email addresses get put on
the SPAMmer's list.

1 - Spiders & Robots: The most common way to get listed is
to post your address on a website, forum, chat room, or
public profile (such as MSN, ICQ, About.com, etc.). These
addresses are easily gathered by programs called "spiders"
or "robots." These programs simply troll the Web looking
for email addresses to ad to the SPAMmer's list.

2 - Nefarious "Opt-In" Scams: The next most common way to
get your address listed is to give it to a questionable
business on the Internet (usually with all good intentions).
That business may then turn around and sell it to someone
else as a part of a list.

3 - Random Address Generation: This is another tactic
employed by SPAMmers and it's just what its name implies.
A piece of software generates random addresses using
commonly-known domains (hotmail.com, msn.com, earthlink.net,
etc.).

Once your name is on a list with one SPAMmer, it will soon
make its way to more. Most of those who build these lists
are in the business of selling these lists as well. Not
many SPAMmers build their own lists anymore - unless they're
very small-time or have a specific way of gathering these
lists that makes it very easy. You'd be surprised at how
much time it takes to actually generate a sizeable list of
email addresses - excepting the random generation method.
To get a good list of email addresses - a list that is
fairly low on "bad" addresses - takes time and considerable
computing power. This is why most "harvesters" (as they're
commonly called) are not SPAMmers themselves.

These lists are sold to anyone who will pay the money to
obtain them. As the sending of UCE has become more and more
competitive, these lists have become more and more
"targeted" towards specific industries. Some lists are
great for eBay users, some are great for get-rich-quick
schemes, some are better for medical markets.

Staying Off The SPAMmer's List
If you spend any amount of time surfing the Web - especially
if you use chat rooms, forums, or other publicly-displayed
message areas - you need to get a "disposable" email
address. These are widely available for free from places
like Hotmail.com, Yahoo.com, and any number of smaller
destinations on the Web. If a chat room or user group
requires that you post a public address in your profile, use
that disposable address. If you post in the UseNet or other
groups, set up an email address with your ISP specifically
for that posting.

Before giving your real email address to ANYONE, make sure
you know who they are. Friends and family are obvious, but
what about that business you're giving an address to? How
about that eBay seller? Know who they are and whether you
can trust them before you give that email address to them.
Check if they have an "anti-SPAM policy" or "privacy
policy" listed and read what it says.

Getting Rid of SPAM You Already Receive
Most email clients, such as Outlook Express, include
filtering systems that you can employ to block, trash, or
otherwise deal with questionable emails. I have filters
that take any email with three or more ! marks (!!!) in the
subject and put it in a "Crap" folder. Another filter puts
anything with "MLM," "FFA," or "Network Marketing" into the
same folder. A third has a list of known SPAM addresses
that are automatically dumped into the "SPAMforSpamCop"
folder. After going through the Crap folder and scanning
the subjects to be sure there aren't any legitimate emails
in there, I then move all of those to the SPAMforSpamCop
folder as well. That entire folder is then packaged up and
sent to SpamCop.net for dissection. If you need more
information on SpamCop.net, please refer to my article
"Reporting Spam to SpamCop.net" on my website. You can read
that article here:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/resources/newsletter/
articles.shtml?spamcop
[Please cut and paste if necessary.]

If you haven't already done so, set up at least one more (I
use several) email address. If you sign up for a lot of
one-time mailings (eBooks, articles, etc.), consider using a
service like SpamGourmet (http://www.spamgourmet.com). You
can sign up for temporary email addresses that will work
only the specified number of times before deactivating. I
use them for one-time mailings or, say, a "five-part" series
mailing. Then, if they send anything more, it will reject
it and I'll never have to deal with it.

Your main email address should not be easy to guess. A good
test for this is to call someone who doesn't know your email
and ask them what they think your email address probably is.
If they can't guess your username in the first few tries,
you've got a good one. If they can, you need to reconsider
it or do something to change that.

Attacking the SPAMmer
Besides reporting them to SpamCop, what else can you do?
Well, if you have a little free time, you can do a few other
things to hopefully make their lives miserable in return.

If the SPAM is about a get-rich-quick or multi-level
marketing scheme, report it to "uce@fcc.gov." The FCC is
now cracking down on illegal schemes online.

If the SPAMmer asks you to visit his/her website, do so.
Then look around for a contact form or email address. If
you find a form, send them hate mail through it. This is
very stress-relieving. If you find an email address, you
can get even nastier. NEVER send email directly to them!
However, you can go to FFA sites (Free For All sites)
around the Internet - just search for FFA on any search site
- and post their email address to it. These sites are
hotbeds for email gathering for later SPAM. Maybe if they
receive enough SPAM, they'll see how hateful it is and stop
doing it themselves.

Finally, you can complain to the SPAMmer's ISP directly. If
you find their website, you can do a simple search using
your domain registrar (go to www.DirectNIC.com). They have
a free tool available to anyone called a "whois search."
Every registered domain name is REQUIRED to have a few bits
of valid information attached to it. One of those pieces is
the "nameserver." These usually look like "ns1.domain.com"
or "dns.domain.com." Replace the "ns1" or "dns" with "www"
and put the URL into your browser. WALA! That is probably
the SPAMmer's web host! Now start looking around for an 800
number. Don't send email, as this host may be the SPAMmer
himself. You never know. Calling them to complain is
always a good way to let off steam and feel like you've at
least made a mark, even if you didn't accomplish much. If
you're really bored, keep a list and stop at pay phones as
you wander the mall or down the street and call just to
shout names at them before hanging up. Again, a great way
to let off steam.

Finally, if the SPAMmer seems to be using a legitimate email
(go ahead, use an address from SpamGourmet to try their
return email out), complain to the ISP that hosts that
email. Usually these are "disposable" addresses. Use these
for the most common ones:
abuse@yahoo.com
abuse@hotmail.com
abuse@excite.com

No matter how you go about it, combating SPAM influx to your
inbox is something that every Internet user has to face.
Otherwise, you'll soon be flooded with an unstoppable amount
of unsolicited email. Even those who advocate using UCE as
a marketing tool have to admit that there has to be so much
of it now that its payoff is becoming ambiguous. Good luck
in your battle!

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Pretty quiet on the techno-front this week. One exciting
piece of news comes from Macromedia (makers of Dreamweaver,
Flash, etc.). The new "Macromedia Flash Communications
Server MX" has been released. This is a cool tool for those
interested in broadcast, streaming, and live conferencing
via the Internet. I'll have more on that next week.

Next week I'll also continue the SPAM question with a
follow-up article to the one above. This one will give you
some information on email marketing WITHOUT using SPAM.

I'd also like to send out a welcome to Ruth N. in Israel.
She is the first official customer of Aaronz WebWorkz to be
offshore! Hi, Ruth! She also has a really cool accent. :)

Also, a reminder to those of you who may still be receiving
"warnings" from SpamCop that you're domain will be
"banned." These bogus emails are still going out, though at
a slower pace than before. I have received notice on every
domain I own/maintain starting with numbers or the letters
A and B. Remember that these are a hoax. More information
can be found at:
http://www.SpamCop.net

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Aaron, wonderful story: "The Truth about Building a
Business on the 'Net". Where not everyone on the net is
interested in building a business, those who are could take
many good tips from this article. Kudos for publication!"
--Spidina

Editor: Thanks, Spidina! You still haven't given me a
website to publish after your name. :)

"Dear Editor: I am new to the computer [7mo.] and I e-mail
in sted of phoneing my friends and then I use the computer
...
But now I have been getting e-mails that are without good
tast at all meany of these e-mails are pornnographic and
very discousting and they seem at frist to look ok but then
you click on their e-mail thinking it looks ok and thereit
is awful stuff..."
--James K.

Editor: Hi, James. Your email is one of the ones I
received that prompted the writing of the article above.
Thanks!

"Are earlier issues of the newsletter available online?"
--Lex N.

Editor: Hi, Lex. Yes, back-issues of this newsletter are
available online at:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/resources/newsletter/

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Over View and Review of OpenOffice.org
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

Editor's Comments: Look at that. I'm my own guest again!
If you have an article you think would fit this newsletter,
by all means, please send it in!
------------------------------------------------------------

I promised some time ago to do a product review of the
latest open-source product to enter the market and threaten
the powers that be. OpenOffice.org is more than just a new
installment on the latest "buzz" around the term "open-
source." To some, this term is a boon to the old-school
"Hacker Ethic" and the reason the Internet was created in
the first place. To others, it's an evil term that means
"insecure," "sketch," and "unsupported."

This software transcends all of that, though - and without
any major marketing efforts by its creators. The software
is FREE to download (go to http://www.openoffice.org) by
anyone and runs on both the Windows and Linux operating
systems. Testers claim that the software runs without
hitches on the new Mac OSX platform as well.

All of this means that not only is this suite of tools
widely supported, it's also widely distributed. There must
be a down-side. Right? There must be something wrong with
the software itself or its usability. Sadly for Microsoft,
and happily for everyone else, that's not the case.

OpenOffice.org supports all major Microsoft Office file
types with the lone exception of PowerPoint, the
presentation software. That's right, OpenOffice.org can
read AND write in Word, Excel, etc. It also has a great
email client that rivals Outlook in all aspects.

This month's issue of PC Magazine (http://www.pcmag.com)
includes a great article by John Dvorak which speculates how
Microsoft will react and what OpenOffice.org will mean to
the computer-using world at large. Regardless, it is widely
believed that the StarOffice suite from Sun - on which
OpenOffice.org is based - will slowly fade into oblivion in
favor of OpenOffice.org.

As for my personal review of this product, I found it to be
a GREAT alternative to the expensive and bulky suite from
Microsoft. I currently am using Microsoft Office XP and
have only a few reasons to be unhappy. I haven't switched
permanently to OpenOffice.org simply because I've already
got Office and see no reason to replace it with something
that, though free, is really a step sideways for me.
However, if I were still using Office 2000 as I was up to
only a few months ago, the installation of OpenOffice.org
would have become permanent as a replacement.

This software has a HUGE set of advantages over Office,
the biggest of which is the price tag difference (FREE
versus around $500). I also found it to load and run a
little faster than most of its Office counterparts.
However, the down-side to this software is its relative
lack of support. You can't call someone at an 800 number if
things go wrong. Because of this, I don't see any immediate
switching by any enterprise with more than only a handful of
computers. Watch, though, because sooner or later a company
will distribute this in a box on the shelf at your software
store, charging $50 or so for it, and providing support.
Much like RedHat does for Linux.

That will be the point at which Microsoft will definitely
begin to worry. Until then, this will be just another suite
of tools for personal and home-business use. At any rate,
it is a huge boon to the open-source software movement as it
is a shining star of what the open source movement can
produce!

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:subscribe]

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[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:unsubscribe]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #38 August 09, 2002
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
More Search Engine Updates
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
The Truth about Building a Business on the 'Net
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
More Search Engine Updates
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

Editor's Comments: A few updates to search engines have been
made that you may not be aware of. Next week will be a
complete update to the Pay-Per-Click article I first ran
last year (still available on the website).
------------------------------------------------------------

A big new piece of news is that America Online (AOL) moved
their search results to be "fully Google-powered" at the
beginning of the month. Now AOL results are completely from
Google, including paid listings and editorial results.

As the owner of Netscape, AOL has also included them in this
deal. Netscape, however, will continue to show Overture
links as sponsored links and is using Google only for
editorial results.

New Poll Reveals Top Search Engines
New Nielson/NetRatings reveal some startling new information
regarding which search engine is most popular and well-
liked. It may not be who you think it is. In a month-long
test of different search engines (conducted by installing a
piece of software to watch user's surfing habits - at their
voluntary consent, of course), the Nelson/NetRatings group
found that MSN, Yahoo! and Google are the most-visited
search sites (in that order) on the Web. The reasons are
many, I'm sure.

My first guess is that MSN comes out on top because if
you're using Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, you know that
when you type something the browser can't find in the
toolbar, it automatically does an MSN search for it. Hmm…
Yahoo! was very close behind and has been the leader up to
this point. Interestingly, however, Google is barely one
point behind Yahoo! in numbers and is gaining fast.
Remember: this survey only counted visits to their actual
website, not where the results were coming from (explaining
why Overture barely made the list). I have no doubts that
Google will surpass Yahoo! by this time next year.

When you look at another perspective of the same survey,
which measured time spent at individual search engines,
Google beat all others by 30 points - the closest competitor
being Dogpile at 11 points. Wow!

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Neat stuff this week. I was reading the latest issue of
PC Magazine, which is featuring several new technologies and
products. The cover says it all..."WOW!" I'm amazed at the
cool stuff that's slated to hit the market in the next few
years. Some (including a bendable LCD screen for hand-held
computers and phones) will debut as early as next year while
others are just at the beginnings of their research.

Another great thing, which I will expound on in a future
article after doing some research, has been offered by Citi-
Bank. Card holders can get one-use-only card numbers for
use in singular online purcahses. This means that your
real credit card number remains safe as you are using only
a temporary number (still assigned to that card in
CitiBank's computers). Great idea!

Another important message comes from SpamCop. After
receiving several warnings that various domains I own or am
maintaining are "going to be shut down by SpamCop," I
checked it out. Sure enough, according to their database,
I'm not even close to being a "spam threat." So I sent an
enquiry to them. Sure enough, Ellen (who always seems to
be the one answering my emails) answered letting me know
that the emails are a hoax being sent out by a SPAMmer who
is well-known on the SpamCop lists. For more information,
follow this link:
http://www.julianhaight.com/forgery.shtml

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Great issue last week! I especially liked the article from
Linda Alexander about ways to use business cards for further
promotion. Great!"
Linda M. (no website)

"Another great article from Roy, Aaron. I surfed over to his
website again and found that many things have changed since
I was there last. He's got a great resource."
--Bob C. (no website)

Editor: Thanks, Bob. For anyone interested, Roy Troxel's
website is located at http://www.cyber-routes.com

"Wow! '30 Creative Ways' indeed! Thanks!"
Carol P. (no website listed)

"You promised a review of OpenOffice.org. Where is it?"
--James K. (no website listed)

Editor: I sure did, James. Sorry I haven't listed it yet.
I have done the review, I just haven't finalized the
article. To let you in on a bit of info, though, my
initial reaction is good. I personally use Office XP and
am happy with it, but could see OpenOffice.org as a
great replacement. To satiate yourself further, you can
find an interesting perspective from John Dvorak at
PC Magazine in the September 2002 issue.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
The Truth about Building a Business on the 'Net
(c) Copyright 2002, Angela Wu
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical
guide that shows eBusiness beginners how to build an online
business on a shoestring budget. Visit her online at
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html or request
a series of 10 free reports to get you started:
mailto:businessbasics@workyourleads.com .

Editor's Comments: A great article about getting started
online. I've run similar article before, but this one
covers a few points not mentioned before.

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

We've all read claims of fast money; the alluring siren-call
of the Internet 'get-rich-quick' scheme can be hard to
resist.

Most of us have also heard the saying, "If it seems too
good to be true, it probably is..." We know in our hearts
that 'get-rich-quick' can't possibly work, yet we can't
help but be intrigued by it.

Instead of pursuing the fruitless search for a quick and
easy way to make money on the 'net, drill the following
into your brain right now: There is NO SUCH THING as
'get-rich-quick'. You CAN earn a solid income from the
Internet, if you're willing to put in the time, effort,
and money.

Here's a quick summary for those of you who are thinking
about starting a business online. Let's start with the
disadvantages first, to get them out of the way...


- Hard work and long hours. Just like any business,
building one online requires a great deal of effort.
Most people do it while still working a full-time job
elsewhere; you may find it hard to keep doing what you
have to do when you're always 'exhausted'.

- Always changing. What works online today might not work
tomorrow. When you do business on the 'net you have to
constantly 'keep up' or you may find profits beginning
to lag. Educating yourself is a continuing process. If
you hate change then the Internet is probably not for
you.

- Need to be able to cut through the 'hype'. You'll find
plenty of misleading promises on the Internet, many of
which will tell you that there's some sort of 'magic
bullet' to getting sales. There isn't. Sorting through
marketing techniques that work and those that don't can
be very time-consuming.

- Definitely *not* a quick-rich-quick scheme! Regardless
of what you may read, the Internet is *not* the path to
quick, easy money and not everyone will be successful
online. An online business contains an element of risk,
just like any other business.

- "Build it and they will come" does NOT apply to the
'net. Your web page is only one of billions. Learning
how to get the *right* people to see your site is a
tough job.

- Persistence is vital to your success. Just like with
any business, there's a lot to learn. It's very easy
to give up and try something else online... but playing
'biz op tag' isn't going to help you make money any
faster.


That being said, there are lots of advantages for doing
business on the Internet! It truly offers one of the best
opportunities for the 'average' person to test their
entrepreneurial spirit. Some of the advantages of being
an online business owner are:

+ Affordable startup costs. You can get started with
just a few hundred bucks.

+ Flexible. Because your work is done on your computer
and from home, you get to choose when you work.

+ Possibility of more free time -- eventually. Some
online businesses can be automated to a certain extent.
Automation will help to reduce your workload and
eventually give you more free time.

+ Testing and research are relatively cheap. Need to
find out what your potential audience thinks of a
product idea? Chances are, there's a message board
(or a hundred) where your potential audience gathers.
Need to research your competition? Use the search
engines. There's so much you can do online for little
or no money.

+ Exciting! If you thrive on change, the Internet is
one of the best places to get it! You can experiment
and test to your heart's content for minimal cost.

+ Ever-growing. Every day more people get 'connected'
to the 'net. That means that your potential audience
is always growing.

+ Multiple streams of income. You have the ability to
sell lots of different products online -- including
other company's products, in return for a commission
-- which means that you can potentially earn several
'pay cheques'! A bunch of 'smaller' cheques may not
seem like much on their own, but add them all up and
they can become a solid stream of income.

+ Opportunity is everywhere! The Internet reaches a
worldwide audience with a wide variety of interests.
There are countless niches on which you can focus your
energies!


Some people turn a profit within just a few months; others
take years. There are lots of 'little guys' -- small, home
based businesses -- who are happily and successfully earning
a living from the Internet. Will you be the next?

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:subscribe]

To unsubscribe
[mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject:unsubscribe]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #37 August 2, 2002
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
Managing The Managers
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Thirty Creative Ways to Use Business Cards
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Managing The Managers

By Roy Troxel
http://www.cyber-routes.com

Editor's Comments: This article is targeted towards persons
in Information Technology working for a fairly large corp-
oration. However, if you read it closely, it contains
advice for anyone who works for someone else - even the
self-employed!
------------------------------------------------------------

The Systems Administrator must continually make IT's
presence known to the management. If you're working for a
large corporation or consulting for a small business, you
must know that business: its management, its problems and
its plans for the future. Scheduling regular interviews or
presentations with members of management every few months is
a good way to learn what management really requires of IT.
After all, it's going to be the company's needs that
determine what you're going to ask for when you draw up your
budget.

Maybe you're a consultant for a number of small businesses.
It makes a lot of sense to talk to them on a regular basis,
not just to remind them of your presence, but also to find
out what their needs are. That's why they're paying you,
isn't it?

You may have the greatest ideas for assessment and
communication of data in the world, but if you don't know
how to keep management informed of this, you're out of the
loop. Most management types don't have the time to keep up
with IT developments in their own company, so that's what
your job is about.

So the question is: how can you help them make a decision?
How can you help them communicate their ideas to their
employees as well as to their customers?

Let's keep this simple. There are only two basic ways that
IT really assists management:

1. In the processing of quantifiable data, to assist in
decision-making,
and
2. In the communication of data to clients and employees.

There are certain things that IT can't help management with,
of course, like employee performance evaluation, delegating
responsibilities, hiring and firing, etc. But if management
needs to make decisions based on quantified entities, this
is where the IT department can shine, and you should
continually make management aware of this. Things like
budgets, sales statistics, timetables, projected goals - all
of these can be quantified and ported to spreadsheets,
databases, and Gantt charts.

First, "run the numbers" on such tasks as:

Developing the schedule
Estimating Resource Requirements
Tracking Progress and Maintaining Control
Dealing with risk and uncertainty

Next, present the data to management in a format that they
can understand. If they like slide presentations in the
meeting room, go with that. If they prefer to see the hard
numbers on a spreadsheet, go with that.

If necessary, you can even make management think that they
thought up your ideas. Say things like, "This is what you
had in mind, isn't it?"

How do you learn about what management is thinking? Don't
just depend on office memos. Interview the managers and work
with them to determine their needs and timetables. Preparing
a checklist sheet is a good method for doing this. If the
manager doesn't have time for an interview, you can leave
the checklist with him. In any case, don't just sit in the
server room and wait for orders.

Then there is the whole area of communications: intranets,
extranets, email, web sites, VPNs, advertising and marketing
brochures - yes, the general field of "communications" can
cover many subjects.

Perhaps you're working for a project manager who needs
communications to keep his team together which is scattered
over five cities. The manager needs daily feedback regarding
the progress of the project, including expenditures. He
needs to meet weekly with all workers involved. Should he do
this through email or video conferencing?

Or, perhaps if you're talking with the Vice President of
Sales, you can say that you understand that sales is largely
the art of persuasion; i.e., convincing your company or
buyer that your product or service is the best for him.
Volunteer to work with him or her to create effective slide
presentations, with 3-D spreadsheets that compare your
services with those offered by your rivals.

At this point, some of you might be thinking, "This sounds
all well and good, but if you worked where I worked, and had
to deal with some of the managers here..." You mean the
people who are always too busy to deal with computer types,
who aren't detail-oriented, and who have belligerent
personalities?

If this is your situation, then present yourself as the
person who is calm, rational and, therefore, can see the
light at the end of the tunnel. Someone in your organization
will recognize this in you, and soon people will look to you
for answers.

Also, find a champion - an ally in management who under-
stands what IT can do for the company's mission. (Since you
don't have authority over the people who can affect your
success, befriend someone who does.)

If your company is financially sound, the servers are
purring, and the printers work fine, then you don't have any
problems to solve. But if the company is expanding, they
might want you to upgrade their servers, or set up a B2B
program with their affiliate companies. Ask them questions
like:

"We've set up a new office in Baltimore, and it might be a
good time to look into building a WAN. Would you like me to
research that?"

"Did you know that we can set up a secure VPN network with
our suppliers? That could save a lot of paperwork and phone
calls."

In any case, take the initiative and be pro-active. Ask
yourself if your company's current problems could provide
you with some valuable experience that you couldn't get
elsewhere, like installing or configuring a Linux server.
If your ideas are rejected, at least you've proven that you
can think "out of the box."
------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2002 (c) Roy Troxel, All rights Reserved.
Permission is granted to electronically reprint the
following article, in your publication, e-book or web site,
as long as there are no changes made to the copyright info
and this footnote is included with the article. Please
contact the author at: rtroxel@cyber-routes.com if this
article is used. Please include publication location
information.

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
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More interesting news in the world online. One of the
biggest is a new bill introduced by Rep. Howard L. Berman
(D-California) deals with file sharing. Cued to stop the
sharing of copyrighted materials - mainly movies and music -
the legislation is shoddily written and would, in effect,
give record labels and movie studios permission to do
whatever they feel necessary to "recover their losses" and
stop people from sharing illegal files while staying free
from legal penalty for their actions. In other words, they
could infect computers with viruses, shut down entire
networks, etc. without worry of being taken to court for
criminal actions. Not good. The bill is H.R. 5211 and is
now a part of the public record. I'd suggest you take a
look at it and write your representatives your opinion.

In PC Magazine, in his weekly article (link below), John
Dvorak talks about how most electronic gear is not made in
the USA, but in China. Now, apparently, some Chinese
factories are considering installing robots to speed up the
process and "make it cheaper." Hmmm...
Read it at:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,426285,00.asp

In other news, the sky is still up there. I went fishing
Monday (daylight and everything) and verified this myself!

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Readers Talk Back!
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"Aaron - it is with great pleasure that I read your Tips for
Effectively Communicating Through Email. Did you ever hit
the nail on the head! I do some computer training and this
is just about my favorite subject. Thanks for covering this
topic in such a thorough, yet succinct, manner. Keep up the
good work."
--Barbara vR.

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If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Thirty Creative Ways to Use Business Cards

© 2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander
Linda Elizabeth Alexander is a business writer and
marketing consultant specializing in web content and
sales copy. Be heard and understood! Subscribe to
Write to the Point, a FREE ezine for business people
who want to learn how to write better.
http://www.write2thepointcom.com
http://www.topica.com/lists/write2thepointcom

Editor's Comments: Here are some good marketing/advertising
tips that I sure hadn't thought of!
------------------------------------------------------------

On the Back

1. Print a team's sports schedule on the back. Fans
will keep them handy and keep your name in front
of them

2. Print a special discount offer or coupon on the back.
People will keep it because they intend to use the
coupon.

3. If you do seminars, print key principals on the back.
Your attendees will refer to them later and think of
you.

4. Hand write on the back your "unlisted" 800 number.
This adds value to your card, making people keep it
longer because they don't want to lose the special
number.


Ad Specialties

5. Make the business card the ad specialty: Print your
company information on letter openers, CD openers,
magnets, pens, highlighters, keychains, mousepads, mugs,
luggage tags, and other items that people will keep
because they are useful.

6. Attach a business card to an ad specialty: For
example, give business card holders as a thank you gift
and place your business card in as the first one. Or,
have your card designed as a Rolodex card

7. If you routinely give out seasonal gifts or
specialties, attach your business card. Examples: candy
canes at Christmas, heart shaped containers filled with
candy for Valentine's Day, or even a sandwich bag of
candy with a card stapled to it.

Unique Places to Put Them

8. Tuck them into the product before delivery: If you
are a florist, cut a hole in it and tie a ribbon around
the flowers and through the business card. If you sell
gift baskets, Tuck one inside the basket before
delivering it to your customer. The same goes for Mary
Kay or Avon Cosmetics - place your card in the bag.
You've seen how some restaurants staple a menu to their
bags for takeout; if you use bags, staple your card to
the outside of the bag.

9. Send a business card in every piece of correspondence
- letters, invoices, even your electric bill. Sooner or
later, those cards will be used.

10. If you are crafty, incorporate them into your
designs: embellish them with rubber stamps, or blend
them with other art projects. You can also mount them to
greeting cards you create and send to customers and
prospects.

11.When mailing out information: Take a number 10
envelope, facing you and upside down. Fold the envelope
in thirds. When you turn it around, there is a little
pocket to tuck your card in. Include it in the mailing.
Using a colored envelope makes the presentation even
more dramatic.

12. Scan your card in and use it as a graphic for when
you exchange links with other websites. The other site
can use your graphic as the link.

13. Place them in library books as if you used them as
bookmarks. Visit bookstores place them in books related
to your business.


Keeping Them Handy:

14. Use them as bookmarks so you'll always have some
readily available if you meet someone at school, in the
library, on the bus, or at the park where you like to
read.

15. Have your spouse, family, and friends carry some of
your cards with them in case they meet someone who might
be interested in your product or service.

16. Wear them! Use them as nametags at meetings and
conferences instead of the "Hello, my name is ..." type of
tags.

17. Keep a stack of cards everywhere you might need them
- in your car, your jacket pocket, your briefcase, your
purse or wallet, in your planner, at home, anywhere you
can think of. Then you'll always have some on hand when
you meet a prospect.


When to Use Them:

18. Give them out during your personal meetings when you
meet someone new: at your church, your children's soccer
games, at lunch with your friends when someone brings a
guest. To be more polite, you could have a personal
"calling card" printed up with your information to use
in these situations.

19. If you do seminars, have your participants exchange
cards with each other. Have them write a compliment
about the person on the back before they hand them out.
Everyone will have a wealth of contacts; they will
remember each other and it will also give participants a
boost of confidence.

20. Ask neighborhood businesses if you may display your
cards near their registers.

21. Tack them to bulletin boards at supermarkets,
restaurants, retail stores and the library - anyplace
that has a bulletin board.

22. Give out two cards at a time - one for your prospect
or client, and one for her/him to give away.

23. Place some on the table when you leave a restaurant.

24. Agree to mail the cards of other businesspeople in
the mailings you do, if they will do the same for you.
Your networking circle will grow as your cards are
passed around.


How Not to Use Business Cards:

25. Don't give them to a member of the opposite sex in
the hopes that s/he will call you. I have a friend who
was told this wouldn't work. He did an experiment for
six months to prove it, and his friend was right!
Sadly, not one woman called him. Although he does have a
girlfriend now!

26. Some people don't give out business cards when they
meet a prospective client. Instead, they send a follow-
up note later with their card enclosed.


Other Types of Business Cards to Have

27. Business card CD-ROM. If you haven't seen these
yet, they are a mini-sized CD that plays in any CD
player and has your contact information on it, as well
as an introduction to your business.

28. Email Signature. Put your contact information into
a signature file for email, along with a link to your
website (be sure to include the "http" in order to make
it "clickable.")

29. Vcard. These are electronic business cards that
recipients can click on and automatically add to their
address books. Do a web search for "vcard" to find
software that supports this technology. Then use it in
all your emails!

30. One consulting company, which works with designers
of products for people with disabilities, prints their
cards in Braille. It reminds their clients how they can
help them comply with disability laws. It also gets
people asking for information.

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