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April 30, 2004
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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 #126 April 30, 2004
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. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article:
Invite Questions to Boost Your Sales
=> From The Webmaster
=> Spotlight On:
6 Ways Search Engines Find Your Web site
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Seven Tips To Keep Your Pc Running At Peak
Performance
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
------------------------------------------------------------
Invite Questions to Boost Your Sales
Copyright 2004 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find
new customers and increase sales. He just released a New
Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast
With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a
newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll
find his low-cost marketing methods at:
http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV
Editor's Comments: Great stuff here!
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Do you invite your prospective customers to ask questions
...or do you try to avoid getting questions from them?
You're walking away from many easy sales if you don't
encourage prospects to ask questions.
1. Prospects Who Ask Questions Are Usually Ready To Buy
Prospective customers who take the time to ask questions
usually have a high level of interest in your product or
service. By asking questions they identify themselves as
likely buyers.
A prompt and complete answer to their question along with a
gentle reminder of the benefits they will get is usually
all it takes to close the sale.
Tip: Make it easy for prospects to ask questions when they
are at your web site or in other selling situations where
there is no personal contact. For example, list your phone
number or an email address they can use for questions.
2. Set up A Procedure for Managing Questions
Answering questions from prospects does not have to take a
lot of your time. Many of the same questions will be
repeated over and over again. But you only have to answer
each question once ...if you save the answer to each
question to a permanent file.
Every time you get the same question again, just copy the
answer from your saved file into your reply - and customize
it appropriately. You will be able to answer questions
quickly. And you will impress prospects with your
promptness and personal attention.
3. Always Reply Promptly
Answer questions promptly. Your prospect's level of
interest and your chances of getting the sale will decline
as time passes without a reply. Prospects are also likely
to judge your commitment to serving customers by how long
they waited to get the answer to their question.
Tip: If you find yourself personally answering a lot of
questions, add a Questions and Answers page to your web
site - or to your printed sales material. Include the
answers to your most frequently asked questions. This
reduces the number of questions you have to answer
individually.
4. Take Advantage of the Selling Opportunity
People tend to pay close attention to what you say when you
answer a specific question they asked. Take advantage of
this. Don't just answer their question. Include a reason
for them to buy as part of your answer.
For example, a typical question may be whether or not your
product or service applies to the questioner's situation.
If it does, expand your answer to remind them of the
specific benefits they will get. Then tell them exactly how
to order it so they can get those benefits immediately.
Remember, prospective customers who ask questions are
usually close to buying. A gentle nudge from you will often
get them to take action. Provide that nudge when you answer
their question.
Many businesses try to avoid questions from their prospects
and customers. They are making an expensive mistake.
Answering questions from prospects and customers is a
highly effective and very low-cost way to boost sales.
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From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
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Well, this week started out well, but quickly tanked itself,
moving into the "suck" category quickly. :)
We got back from Montana late Sunday night/early Monday
morning. Sleep deprivation kept me from the computer for
most of Monday morning. :)
We had planned to move the server to its new facility on
Friday, but since we were out of town, we put it off until
Wednesday this week. Boy am I glad we did...
The move was to a new facility (same hosting company) to
gain faster speeds on a better network, which means
shorter waits for page loads and more redundancy in the
network in case of failures. All good things.
We began propagating the new DNS settings on Monday
afternoon in hopes of having everything in place so that
the server's move would be generally uneventful. The new
IP addresses and DNS settings were ready to go...sort of.
The move happened late Wednesday night (about the time we
figured most people wouldn't notice the server being down
for a few minutes).
Well, it wasn't all that smooth. It moved OK and was set
up quickly and ready to go...the IPs were showing just fine,
and everything seemed good...except that the DNS settings
hadn't propagated. Somehow, somewhere there was a screwup.
Figures.
Anwyay, most of yesterday was spent setting those new DNS
settings and calling various major ISPs to ask them to
update their registries. I spent a lot of time yesterday
on hold...
All told, however, things seem to be back to normal for the
most part. Most domains on the server are showing up again
just fine and others, while spotty, are improving.
Some of you were having email and connectivity issues on the
old network. Those problems should definitely be fixed on
this new one, thanks to the better connections.
Thanks for hanging in there!
In other news, I've switched to cable Internet as of
yesterday afternoon. I've shut down the satellite I was
using before. I haven't had time to run any tests for real
comparison, but can tell you that the speed of the cable
modem, while technically the same, is faster to perception
thanks to the lack of latency waiting for the send/receive
from the satellite in orbit. The delay in sending data from
my system to the 'Net was anywhere from half a second to
three seconds depending on the weather. With cable, there
is zero delay, so it seems faster. Not to mention it's half
the price... ;)
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Spotlight On:
6 Ways Search Engines Find Your Web site
© 2003 Maria Marsala, President of Elevating You. Number 4
at Google for business coach. We help small established
business owners achieve greater success and have more time,
using practical, timesaving, and step-by step solutions,
including e-solutions. Clients gain from a customized
mixture of coaching, consulting and training. To subscribe
to our weekly ezine or ask for a consultation, visit
http://www.ElevatingYou.com------------------------------------------------------------
1) Your information contained in your domain name
Example: www.CoachMaria.com
2) The words used in the name of each pages
Example: www.CoachMaria.com/business/webmarketing.html
3) The Title you give each page of your web site.
Example: About Coach Maria Marsala not About or About
Maria
4) Meta Tags (description and keywords are mandatory)
Resource: www.CoachMaria.com/business/metatags.html
5) Keywords used at the beginning of paragraphs after
"header tags" ie. h1 h2 etc. Resource:
http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol4/html_no9.htm
6) Links to your web site from other web sites.
Think collaborations, give away some articles you’ve
written.
NOTE: Very few search engines will find your web site on
their own. So tell them your site exists. Add your web site
to a search engines system - either free or paid (your
choice). Visit this page of search engine resources to
elevate your knowledge of seach engines or to submit your
site to our search engine list.
http://www.coachmaria.com/business/webmarketing.html ------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
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"AAAAIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"
--Anonymous
Editor: Yep, I know just how you feel.
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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!
------------------------------------------------------------
Seven Tips To Keep Your Pc Running At Peak Performance.
by Dave Fraser
http://www.pcsandthings.com/(c) Copyright 2004
Dave Fraser makes it easy for beginners to learn about
their computers in less technical terms. For more Free tips
and tricks to make your computing experience better, visit
http://www.pcsandthings.com and sign up for our FREE
newsletter.
Editor's Comments: Good advice here if you can plow through
his English skills (the bane of most techno-dweebs). :)
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Did you know that very soon after you start using your
computer it begins to slow down and loses that responsive,
"fresh out of the box" sort of feel.
You've just started up your new super-speed, top of the
range computer. You start surfing the internet, downloading
a few new programs to try out and then a few weeks later
you're working away and you notice it just doesn't seem as
fast as it was before.
If that's ever happened to you, then there are a few things
you should know which I'll be covering in this article that
will get the pep back into your PC.
------- Seven Steps to Sharpen up your PC -------
********************************************************
Step one: Clean up any Adware and scumware
********************************************************
Free programs on the internet are not always what they seem.
Often the sting in the tail is, the behind the scenes,
installing of Adware or Scumware as it's sometimes known.
This usually consists of programs that run in the background
and advertise various offerings which can be targeted to
match your preferences. These programs take up valuable
system resources and should be cleaned out.
Programs such as Gator (form filler) and Kazza (music
sharing) are well known examples of this but there are many
others.
The solution to this, is for you to download one or both of
these free programs.
Adaware 6.0 at
http://www.tucows.com/preview/236049.htmlor
Spybot search and Destroy at
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=downloadUse them to clean up your system regularly. I personally
use them both once a week.
**********************************************
Step Two: Clean out your start-up files
**********************************************
Nearly every program you load on your computer wants to be
top dog. By that I mean when you install the program it
usually sets itself up in your startup list.
This means that whenever you start up your computer the
programs installs itself automatically into main memory
whether you are going to use it or not and just takes up
valuable resources that could be better utilised by programs
you are using right away.
If you hit the Control-Alt-Delete keys once (if you do it
twice you will reboot the computer and lose any unsaved
work) you will be able to see all the programs that are
running behing the scenes.
The more you have running that you are not using, the more
memory will be taken up and the slower and less stable the
system will be.
Things like Anti-Virus programs and "system tray" should be
left running but many others can be removed.
To do this in windows 98/ME, hit "Start"-"Run"- and type in
"msconfig" and enter, then choose the right hand top tab
marked "startup" Uncheck all the programs that you aren't
using all the time. You will be able to run them normally at
any time from your start menu so don't worry about that.
Most of the programs can be identified by the program names
at the right hand side, any that can't, you can always type
it into google and see what comes up. Occasionally you find
programs loaded here that are malicious programs such as
Trojans or Browser hijackers that you definitely don't want.
To get rid of them search for the filename in Google and
then see if it comes up as a nasty and then get the info on
how to remove from the anti-virus website.
You will notice a definite improvement in start-up speed and
general running when these are removed.
***********************************************************
Step Three: uninstall any old programs that are no longer
used
***********************************************************
Windows registry is the section of windows that contains all
the information relating to your system and software.
As time goes by it can get extremely bloated and even if you
are not using the old programs anymore, the time taken to
search through registry is increased.
Uninstalling the programs rather than just deleting the
files will ensure that the entries in the registry are
removed and this helps keep the size under control.
Another little utility you might find useful is called
"EasyCleaner" and it is great for cleaning out all these
unwanted files and registry entries that were somehow left
behind.
You can also use it to locate temporary files used by
various programs that just clog up your hard drive and slow
things down.
It's a free utility you can download from
http://www.docsdownloads.com/easycleaner.htm*******************************************************
Step Four: Invest in a good antivirus program
*******************************************************
Invest in a good antivirus program such as Shield-Antivirus
or Panda anti-virus and keep it regularly updated. Having a
virus on your system can not only wreak havoc with your
system speed but can lead to more serious problems and data
loss.
You can check out Shield at:-
http://www.pcsandthings.com/shield-antivirus.htm and
Panda at:-
http://www.pcsandthings.com/panda.htm******************************************************
Step Five: Delete or uninstall unwanted fonts
******************************************************
When Windows loads it installs all available fonts. This not
only takes up space but also valuable time. Deleting or
uninstalling fonts that you will never use will help
streamline things a bit more.
To view the installed fonts, select Start, Run, type
"fonts", and press Enter. To see what a font looks like,
double-click its icon. You can delete a font by right-
clicking it and selecting Delete, but it's safer to
uninstall it by dragging it to another folder so you can
always drag it back if you really need it.
You must do this dragging (in either direction) from within
Windows Explorer. Moving or copying a font to or from the
C:\Windows\Fonts folder via DOS commands or some other
utility won't properly install or uninstall it. Some fonts
should stay put, such as Windows system fonts, which have
the extension .fon instead of .ttf. The icon for a system
font has a red 'A' rather than a gray-blue 'TT'. System
fonts are usually hidden files, but they're visible in the
Fonts folder in Explorer. They disappear when you move them
elsewhere, though. Some applications require specific fonts,
such as Arial, Verdana or Times New Roman, so you'd better
keep them around.
Any other ones you don't use can be moved to another folder.
More info on this can be found at:-
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;234749**************************************
Step Six: Optimise your system
**************************************
A few basic pointers for optimising your system.
(1) From the desktop right click on the "my computer" icon
and select properties. Select "file system" and under the
hard disc tab, where it says "for typical role of this
computer" select "network server" in the drop down menu as
this speeds up transfers.
(2) Under floppy disc make sure the little box is not ticked
as this increases boot up time slightly.
(3) On Internet Explorer while surfing the net, images are
stored on the hard drive in a section called the cache. This
is useful if you are using a slow dial-up connection as it
means the most used images don't have to be continually
downloaded so surfing speeds are increased.
If the cache size is too great then Explorer has to check
through all the images before it downloads them and this can
slow up browsing. The optimum size is a bit, hit or miss,
but with ADSL or cable the cache can be set much smaller as
the images download quickly. Also when the cache is too
large the files get fragmented (this is covered later) and
the hard disk thrashes around trying to piece it all
together thus slowing everything down.
It's a matter of trial and error but I wouldn't recommend
much more than 50MB for a slow connection and about 10MB
for ADSL or Cable.
Adjustment is made by clicking on Internet explorer "tools"
and "internet options" then under "temporary internet files"
the settings button and use the slider to adjust the amount.
(4) A program I find very useful for optimising various
parts of your computer is one called "Speed up my PC" With
this you can set it automatically to take care of memory
usage and can prevent system crashes at awkward times. It's
not free this on but it might be worth taking a look at it.
You can read more on it here:-
http://www.pcsandthings.com/speed_up_my_pc.htm***********************************************************
Step Seven: defragment your hard drive regularly
***********************************************************
De-what? my hard drive I might hear you say. Sounds a bit
severe but it's something that should be done fairly
regularly.
Your computer works efficiently when the data it takes from
the hard drive to process in memory is all in one place and
doesn't take very long to fetch.
After using your computer for a while, related files get
broken up into fragments and are scattered all over the
disc. This happens in normal use and it can significantly
increase the time it takes to collect it all up.
A bit like you going to another room to fetch your files
from a filing cabinet and if they were all together it would
be easy to collect them. If on the other hand they were in
different cabinets all dotted around the room then you get
the idea.
The thing to do is run the defragmenter that comes with
Windows. Double click "My Computer" and then Right Click
the icon for drive C: and then click properties. Select
defragment and follow the instructions.
This process can take a long time on a large hard drive with
badly fragmented files, so it may be advisable to set this
running at a quiet time computer wise or even overnight.
There is a another program I highly recommend for
defragmenting which is called Diskeeper Lite and is much
better than the built-in version that Windows has. It is
available as a free download plus some more articles on
fragmentation from
http://www.executive.com/downloads/menu.aspDefragmenting is best done last after the other steps above
as removing files and clutter will leave gaps that can then
be put back together for normal use.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Carrying out the above actions will help keep your PC
running faster and more stable and hopefully crash less
causing less stress and frustration from lost work.
So get started now and clean up your PC and make it a habit
to do it regularly and keep your system running at peak
performance.
And don't forget one of the most cost effective upgrades you
can do to your PC at the moment is to add some more Memory
(RAM).
Check our website for "Memory specials" at:-
http://www.pcsandthings.com/ or
Buy direct from the manufacturer at:-
http://www.pcsandthings.com/crucial.htmThey have a system selector that can help you choose the
correct RAM for your PC.
------------------------------------------------------------
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)2004 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
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(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).
April 23, 2004
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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 #125 April 23, 2004
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. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article:
Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe Online
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Am I Weird If I Date Online?
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
------------------------------------------------------------
Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe Online
by Sharon Housley
Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc.
http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in
alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software
solutions. Other sites by Sharon can be found at
http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com . Additional
articles can be found at
http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htmEditor's Comments: Not our usual topic, but definitely of
interest!
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Parents are constantly struggling with ways to keep their
children safe online. The Internet has a global reach and at
this point no bounds, or limitations. Outside of installing
filtering software children should be educated in order to
protect themselves to this virtual monster. We've put
together a collection of ten tips that should be observed
while surfing online. At the very least these tips will
prompt family discussions regarding safety.
1.) When on the internet personal information should be kept
private. Just because someone asks doesn't mean you need to
tell them. When someone asks for personal information,
consider how they might use that information and whether it
is necessary for them to have it.
2.) If you are conversing with someone online, don't assume
that they are being honest with you. Just because they say
they're 16 doesn't mean they are.
3.) Do not release your password to anyone, even if they say
they are from your online provider.
4.) Overall it is best not to respond to unsolicited e-mail
(SPAM), if there is something flagrant or inappropriate in
the e-mail, consider reporting the sender to their Internet
Service Provider (ISP).
5.) Do not give out or post identifying information,
including address or telephone numbers.
6.) You may want to create a nickname for a screen name in
chat rooms.
7.) Keep in mind when posting in chat rooms or newsgroups,
that there may be lurkers (people who read but do not post).
Your information can be read and seen by all.
8.) Keep an open dialogue with children surfing the
Internet, remember if they come to you with a problem, your
first reaction should not be to take away the Internet.
Applaud child's confidence in confiding in you and work
together to find a solution.
9.) Overall it is not a good idea to post or exchange
pictures over the Internet
10.) Try to keep in mind the Internet is global and is *not*
governed by any entity. This means that there are no
limitations or checks on the information posted and
accessible to Internet users.
Additional Resources:
The following resources will assist in staying safe online.
Collection of Internet Access and Filtering Software -
http://www.monitoring-software.net/access-monitoring.htmContract for Safe Surfing -
http://www.911paging.com/internetsafety/internetcontract.htm ------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
This is an unusual issue as the topics covered are outside
of what we usually include in this newsletter. They're of
importance to many of you, though, so I thought it would be
fun to go off-topic for once and include some of the more
cultural aspects of life online.
Last week's newsletter may have arrived twice for many of
you. This was my fault and I apologize for that. The news-
letter software stopped halfway through sending and I didn't
receive my test copy. I ran the software again and, sure
enough, I got two copies. Several of you did too, judging
by your emails. :) Sorry about that.
This week's issue is early for two reasons: first, I'll be
out of town most of the weekend and second, there will be
some server upgrades and backups being done Friday that will
require full attention. So I figured I'd send the news-
letter out early instead of late. :)
Obviously, thanks to my screwed up schedule (once again),
AaronzWebWorkz.com hasn't been updated. Ahh, well.
Well, on with the show! Next up is another cool article
about dating online. See you next week!
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Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"I got the newsletter twice this week."
--Many Subscribers
"Thanks for those six basic rules of ecommerce article. I
learned from it."
--Fajid K.
Editor: You're welcome, Fajid!
"Awesome article on web searches! i had not gone past Google
with my searching and now I see that there are better ways
to find some thins. Thanks!"
--Carl P.
Editor: You're welcome, Carl. Search on!
"good issue"
--Mark O.
------------------------------------------------------------
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!
------------------------------------------------------------
Am I Weird If I Date Online?
Copyright 2004 Devlyn Steele
Devlyn Steele ("America's Leading Life-Coach") has been a
public consultant and a private counselor for over 15
years. A Cognitive Therapist, Radio host and Columnist,
Devlyn also developed
ToolsToLife.com. Devlyn maintains a
thriving practice in Hollywood, where he counsels famous
actors, musicians and captains of industry. Soon his new
book will be available, Relationship Tools. You can hear
Coach Steele live every Tuesday on LoveBeat Radio 1310
KXAM.com 7-9 PM. Arizona Time
Editor's Comments: Interesting article.
------------------------------------------------------------
True story: A few years back I was working with a client
who had recently moved to Los Angeles. She was single, did
not know many people in the big city, and felt a little
lonely. I innocently suggested she give online dating a
shot. It seemed like an easy and pressure-free way to meet
people, and I had other clients who enjoyed their
experience and were in good relationships as a result.
"What kind of desperate person do you think I am?!?" she
snapped.
She apologized, but explained that she felt “weird” about
online dating. This perked my curiosity, so later I asked
some of my other clients if they ever tried it. Some only
confessed after their faces turned three shades of crimson.
Since I am a strong proponent of online dating, I dispel
any stigma or embarrassment when I recommend it to my
clients. This is what I tell them:
For many singles, life moves like Richard Petty around the
Talladega Speedway. We change jobs every few years. We
relocate more frequently. We cannot remember the last time
we answered a phone with a cord. Even if time is not the
issue, some single people cannot shake the feeling that
everyone else is happy while they are always alone. We may
look at online dating as an act of desperation, because
“normal people don’t need something like that.”
The simple fact is that you are not weird if you use an
online dating service. We only feel weird when we think we
are doing something outside the norm. Consider this: over
40 million people in the US access online dating websites
every month. It is the fastest growing sector of online
content. There is no reason to feel embarrassed, because
if you date online you are actually part of a huge group.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to find someone
special, or at the very least make some new friends, so why
not use every resource available to you? You do not get
extra points for meeting someone in a bar or while waiting
for dry socks at the Laundromat. Does it matter to you
how you met the important people already in your life? You
probably barely even think about it.
By setting up a personal profile and a list of likes and
dislikes, you invest time in yourself. More importantly,
you are taking action by trying to improve yourself and
your situation. You are putting yourself out there and
taking control by refusing to be lonely and isolated.
I have found many advantages to the Internet. The
anonymity of online dating allows you to roll out of bed,
hair standing in ten different directions, breath smelling
like Boston Harbor at low tide – then click! You stumble
on a person you will be dating in a few weeks. The cost
compared to going out and searching is next to nothing. You
can learn more about a person’s interests to see if they
mesh with yours. You do not have to deal with the
harshness of rejection in person. You have a huge pool of
people to explore (remember, 40 million!) from all
walks-of-life, people you would never have the chance to
meet within your neighborhood or small circle of friends.
There is also fraud and deception. You will probably come
across a photo that looks eerily like Pamela Anderson –
right down to the copyright in the lower corner. Clients
tell me about married people posing as single.
Nevertheless, these issues of honesty exist both on and
off-line, so do not let that stop you from finding the
partner you want.
With 43% of the U.S. population being single and with so
many single clients asking me about Internet dating, I
began to put a guide together to help my clients use this
service effectively and safely and avoid these pitfalls. I
want everyone to find the happiness they deserve and want
to make this Tool book available to everyone for Free! To
get your free E-Book, “Tools To Internet Dating” go to
TheRelationshipTools.com and get your copy today.
Don’t be ashamed or afraid, learn the best and safest way
to use the Internet to take control of your life and find
the person you deserve!
------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
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Except where noted, this publication and all of its
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April 16, 2004
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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 #124 April 16, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
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By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Feature Article:
Search the Web More Efficiently: Tips, Techniques
and Strategies
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
The 6 Basic Rules of E-Commerce
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
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Search the Web More Efficiently: Tips, Techniques and
Strategies
By Daniel Bazac
Copyright © 2003. All Rights Reserved.
Daniel Bazac is the Search Engine Marketer for Web Design in
New York [
http://www.web-design-in-new-york.com ], a site
design, search engine optimization and promotion company. He
also maintains Bazac Weblog [
http://www.bazac.blogspot.com/]
a blog about the search engines and search engine marketing
news and articles. He can be reached at
mailto:danielbazac@hotmail.com .
Editor's Comments: Good tips here!
------------------------------------------------------------
Studies show that after email, searching the Web is the most
popular activity on the Internet. Searching is easy; finding
what you're looking for can sometimes be difficult.
Hopefully the advice below will make your next Web search a
breeze.
Do you really need the Web?
Before using the Web to search for information, you'll have
to ask yourself if the Web is the most appropriate medium to
use to find your information. You can find a florist shop in
your neighborhood faster by using the local, printed Yellow
Pages instead of using the Web. And sometimes a library can
give you better, more comprehensive answers than the Web.
However, in most of the cases, the best and fastest way to
find information is... a Web search.
Obviously, the first thing you need to search the Web is a
computer with Internet access.
Before really starting your search, you'll have to decide
which browser you are going to use. As a reminder, a
browser, according to WhatIs.com is a program "that
provides a way to look at and interact with all the
information on the World Wide Web." You can select a
popular browser such as Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla or Opera
or you can use an alternative browser. My favorite: Avant
Browser. (I have NO connection with MyBookmarks.com)
Keep in mind that some browsers are faster or have
more options. You can download these browsers from their
companies' web sites.
Tools for searching the Web
There are many search tools available: search engines,
subject directories / virtual libraries, invisible (deep)
web databases, meta search engines, etc.
A search engine is a keyword searchable database of Internet
files that uses a software program to continually scour the
Web. The resulting information is then indexed and stored in
its database.
My favorite search engines are:
* Google™ [ http://www.google.com/ ]
* AlltheWeb [ http://www.alltheweb.com/ ]
* MSN [ http://www.msn.com/ ]
* Teoma [ http://www.teoma.com/ ]
* AltaVista [ http://www.altavista.com/ ]
* WiseNut [ http://www.wisenut.com/ ]
A subject directory (web directory) is a searchable
collection of Web pages gathered, selected and organized by
human editors into hierarchically subject categories. A
virtual library is a web directory that includes highly
selective links, chosen mostly by librarians.
Web directories cover a much smaller proportion of the Web
but using them will bring you more highly relevant results.
The largest web directories index a few million pages
compared with the billions of pages indexed by some major
search engines.
Remember that the web directories - like the search engines
- do not search the Web directly. Instead, they search their
own databases of indexed Web pages. Also, be aware that
directories might not be up-to-date. Some search engines are
in fact hybrid search tools because they are both search
engines and web directories. (Google™, for example, has a
search engine and a directory, powered by Open Directory
Project)
Some widely used web directories are:
* Google™ Directory [ http://directory.google.com/ ]
* Open Directory Project (ODP) [ http://www.dmoz.org/ ]
* Yahoo! [ http://www.yahoo.com/ ]
* Zeal [ http://www.zeal.com/ ]
* JoeAnt [ http://www.joeant.com/ ]
* Gimpsy [ http://www.gimpsy.com/ ]
Popular virtual libraries include:
* Librarians' Index to the Internet [ http://www.lii.org/ ]
* Internet Public Library [ http://www.ipl.org/ ]
* The WWW Virtual Library [ http://www.vlib.org/ ]
* Internet Scout Project [ http://www.scout.wisc.edu/Archives/ ]
* BUBL Link [ http://www.bubl.ac.uk/ ]
The so-called invisible (deep) web is a collection of online
information stored in live databases accessible on the Web
but not indexed by traditional search engines. Examples of
excellent invisible web databases are:
* ProFusion [ http://www.profusion.com/ ]
* Invisible-web.net [ http://www.invisible-web.net/ ]
* Complete Planet [ http://www.completeplanet.com/ ]
* Resource Discovery Network [ http://www.rdn.ac.uk/ ]
* direct search (Gary Price) [
http://www.freepint.com/gary/direct.htm ]
A meta search engine (also known as metacrawler or
multithreaded engine) is a search tool that sends your query
simultaneously to several search engines, web directories
and sometimes to the so-called invisible (deep) web. After
collecting the results, the meta search engine removes the
duplicate links and - according to its algorithm - will
combine and rank the results into a single merged list.
Because most of the meta search engines take only the top 10
or 20 from each search engine, you can expect excellent
results, "la crème de la crème."
But be aware that because some search engines and web
directories do not support advanced searching techniques -
such as quotation marks to enclose phrases or Boolean
operators - no results from those search engines will appear
in the meta search engines' results list when those
techniques are used.
Remember, meta search engines do not maintain their own
databases and therefore cannot accept web site submissions.
The best meta search engines are:
* ez2Find [ http://www.ez2find.com/ ]
* Vivisimo [ http://www.vivisimo.com/ ]
* InfoGrid [ http://www.infogrid.com/ ]
* Infonetware [ http://www.infonetware.com/ ]
* iBoogie [ http://www.iboogie.com/ ]
A special kind of meta search engine is the search utility
(also called desktop search programs or client-side search
software). Unlike the web-based meta search engines listed
above, search utilities are software programs that you
download to your computer. The most popular are:
* Copernic [ http://www.copernic.com/en/index.html ]
* Arrow Search [ http://www.rt-software.co.uk/arrow_search/ ]
* SearchRocket [ http://www.searchrocket.com/ ]
* WebFerret [ http://www.ferretsoft.com/index.html ]
* ProtoSearch [ http://www.npccenterprises.com/products.shtml ]
Meta search engines are excellent tools, but they do not
eliminate the need for search engines.
For more about meta search engines, see my article: The Meta
Search Engines: A Web Searcher's Best Friends.
Which Search Tool Should You Choose?
* If you're looking for specific information use search
engines.
* If you're looking for a unique or obscure search term or if
you want to make an in-depth analysis of what's out there
on a specific subject, then use meta search engines.
* If you're looking for general information on popular
topics, use subject (web) directories.
* If you're looking for scholarly information use virtual
libraries.
* If you're looking for real-time information or for
dynamically changing content such as the latest news, phone
book listings, available airline flights, etc., then use
specialized databases (invisible or deep web.)
There are thousands of search engines, hundreds of meta
search engines and dozens of web directories and specialized
databases. Choosing the right search tool - from the start -
can make the difference between a successful search and a
frustrating experience.
Before Starting the Search
The easiest way to find information is when you know a web
page Internet address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) such
as Fortune Magazine at http://www.fortune.com. You can find
these addresses on business cards, TV commercials or
newspapers. Simply type the URL in the browser's address
box and hit the
(PC) or (Mac) key.
Be aware that in most browsers, you do not have to type
"http://" or even "www" before the domain name. You can
access a site simply typing the domain name such as
"sony.com."
Special note: Be careful when you copy and paste a long URL
from an email message or from some web sites. URLs that span
two lines have a gap (space) between the last character of
the first line and the first character on the second line.
First, get rid of the gap and then paste it in the
browser's address line.
Other times you may not know the URL but... you can guess
it. Often companies will use their name, acronym or
abbreviated name followed by ".com", such as ibm.com or
apple.com. The same thing is true for educational
institutions (add the ".edu" suffix) or government sites
(add ".gov") So, whenever you don't know an URL, you can
try to guess it.
If you do not know the URL, you'll have to find it by
searching the Internet. In many cases, a simple search on
the name of an organization within most search engines will
return a direct hit on their web site.
Tips For Searching Smarter:
* Read the search engine's "search tips" or "help" page
before using a search tool. Strangely enough, most of the
time you'll find the "search tips" link on the "Advanced
Search" page or on the "results page." Anyway, regularly
check the search tips page because the rules often change.
* Customize the output of the results. Use the search
engine's "preferences" page. Some search tools allow you
to select the value for:
* the total results per page; usually 10 by default (select
* the maximum - often 100)
* the search tool's timeout - select the maximum
* the search depth - select maximum.
Be sure to save the new "settings" or "search
preferences" for the next time you use the search tools.
Also, set the browser you use to accept cookies.
Tips To Make Your Search Faster:
If you're searching for information and you are not
interested in graphics on the pages you see, turn off or
disable graphics. You can also turn off sounds, animation,
Java, JavaScript, etc. See your browser documentation for
instructions.
If you decide to keep the graphics, in the case of a
"heavy" page, you can always press the button in
the browser, immediately after you see the text and before
the graphics are entirely loaded.
More Tips:
* Most search tools are case-insensitive which means that you
can construct a query - your search request - by typing all
the words - even proper names - in lower case text.
* If you type a long query, most of the search tools' search
boxes are not very wide so you cannot see the entire query.
Write the query in a word processor and then "copy and
paste" into the search box. Be aware that Google™ only
allows 10 words in the search box.
* Some search tools offer an option called "similar pages"
(Google™) or "related pages" (AltaVista and Teoma.)
Clicking on that option will show you relevant results for
the page you're interested in.
* Some search engines have a function called "see more
hits/results/pages from the same domain." Sometimes it can
be useful.
* Also, some search tools, such as Google™, allow you to see
an English translation for a results page that is written in
a foreign language. If you want to translate a web page and
you have the URL, you can also use these sites:
* Systran [ http://www.systransoft.com/ ]
* Fagan Finder [ http://www.faganfinder.com/translate/ ]
* AltaVista' Babel Fish [ http://babelfish.altavista.com/ ]
* alphaWorks (IBM) [ http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/aw.nsf/html/mt ]
Remember, don't expect perfect translations because that
seldom happens.
* Looking for pages in a specific language? Some search
engines (Google™, AlltheWeb, etc.) have an advanced search
page that allows you to select the language from the
pull-down menu.
* If your search terms contain letters not present in the
English alphabet such as "é" or "ü" (example fiancé or
München), use Fagan Finder's (Search Engine Ultimate
Interface) which allows you to use these special letters in
many major search engines. It makes a big difference. A
search for Munchen in Google™ gives 570,000 results while
for München - "u" with umlaut - gives 51,700,000 - almost
10 times more.
So, let's start searching!
Most of the search tools can be searched using keywords. Web
directories and the invisible web databases can also be
searched by browsing categories and subcategories.
Start with a popular search engine such as Google™, for
example.
Before typing the keywords, take your time and brainstorm
relevant words. Create a list of search terms. Write them
down. A few seconds of brainstorming could save you minutes
or hours of retrieving irrelevant results.
Advice for Searching Better:
* Select the most descriptive words. Brainstorm thoroughly.
* Use at least two keywords.
* Place the most important words or phrases first.
Whenever two or more words can appear in exact order,
enclose the words with double quotation marks ("word 1 word
2".) Example: "United States." If you use a longer
phrase, you will achieve more precise results. With a very
long phrase, however, you may get zero results. Some search
engines allow you to select the "phrase" option in the
pull-down menu on their advanced search page or you can type
it in special phrase search box, so you don't have to use
quotes.
* When possible, use unique, rare or unusual keywords. The
more uncommon / obscure or less frequent the keywords you
use are, the fewer and more relevant results you will get.
* Use nouns and objects as keywords. Do not use the so-called
"stop words" such as "what," "where," "the," "in,"
"and," etc. Many search tools ignore them. If you need a
stop word to appear in the results, place the implied
Boolean operator "+ " in front of that word. The standard
Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT (or AND NOT), NEAR, BEFORE,
AFTER and the Boolean logic "(parenthesis)", are used to
construct complicated queries. The implied Boolean operators
"+" and "-" can replace the AND and NOT respectively. An
example of Boolean logic is (tips OR tricks) AND ("search
engines" OR "web directories"). It will find tips or
tricks for search engines or web directories. Check the
search tool's tips to see if they accept Boolean operators.
For example Google™ does not support full Boolean logic.
* Do not use common terms such as Internet, Web, etc. except
for cases that it is necessary. (For example, the query is
"searching the web" with quotes.)
* Avoid redundant terms and complicated query structures.
* Choosing the right words for your query is the most
important part of web searching. The more specific the
search term, the more relevant your results will be and the
more likely it is that you will find what you seek.
Remember, work smarter not harder.
* The secret to constructing a professional query is to type
words you expect to find in the matches.
Note: Some search tools, such as Ask Jeeves allow you to use
the so-called "natural language." This means that you can
construct a query as a question in plain English, such as
"What's the weather in LA?" When you have a specific
question in mind, these tools can be helpful.
Checking the Results:
After typing your keywords into the search box press either
the "enter" key on the keyboard or, click on the
"search," "find" or "go" button on the search tool's
homepage. You will receive a list of documents that -
hopefully - match your query. If you do not, it may be
because some unscrupulous webmasters use unethical methods
to cheat the search engines and achieve undeserved, top
rankings for their sites. To learn more about this topic,
please read my article, "Search Engine Spamming Sucks!"
The results returned, also called "matches" or "hits"
will be web pages related to the subject you're searching
for, ranked in order of relevancy according to the search
tool's algorithm or by date, URL, title, etc.
Each result will contain information such as the title of
the page, a short description, the page's URL and the size
of the page.
Now you have a tough job. You have to decide which of the
search results will take you to the most informative site.
Your best bet is to take a look at the title and description
of the page. Are they relevant to your search? If yes, open
the page. If not, check the next result, by scrolling down
on the right side of the browser.
To view a page you have two options:
1) Click on the title of the page - even if says "No title"
or "?????". Place the cursor on the page title and the
cursor will change to the picture of a hand. Usually the
links are in blue and underlined, but often they are not.
You can find links in any color, including black, which
makes it difficult to recognize a link in text of the same
color.
2) The second method is to open the page in a new browser
window. Right-click over the title of the result. This
produces a pop-up menu. Select "open (link) in new
window." After checking the result, close the new browser
window. You will still have the first window browser with
your search. Some search tools have an option that allows
you to open the result in a new window. Don't get used to
that, do the right thing: open a new browser window by using
the mouse's right-click.
If you use the first method most likely you will not use the
back button to go back to the results page, but instead you
will simply close the window, losing the search page
altogether.
Criteria for Evaluating a Web Resource:
First of all, don't believe everything you read on the
Internet. Recently I found a page where it stated that
Google™ has about one billion web pages indexed. Well,
according to Google™, it indexes 3,307,998,701 web pages. Be
careful what you believe. Governmental agencies, educational
institutions, libraries and prestigious publications are the
most reliable sources of information. Be circumspect with
information found on personal sites stored in free hosts.
Six Tips For Evaluating A Site:
1) Is the web site published by an authoritative source?
Is the author a recognized expert in the field or subject
area?
2) Is the information relevant, credible and accurate? It
doesn't hurt to cross check two to three additional,
reliable sources.
3) Is the site current and recently updated?
4) Does the site have a professional "look and feel":
structure, layout, color scheme, navigation menu(s), etc.?
5) Are there spelling, grammar or punctuation errors?
6) Does the site have contact information such as a postal
address, phone or email?
Four Additional Tips:
1) Don't look only at the top ten listings. Excellent results
can be found on the top 20, or even top 50 results. This is
why customizing the result output at 100 results per page is
handy. You don't have to open a next ten-results-per-page
page. If you don't find relevant results in the first 20 to
50, reformulate your query or try another search tool - a
meta search engine, for example.
2) Check only results that truly looks relevant.
3) Be aware that many search tools list "sponsored links" at
the top of their results page. These are not results from
the search tool's database. Instead these results are paid
listings from corporations that have an interest in
providing you with information about their products or
services. Studies show that searchers find it hard to
distinguish between regular and paid results, so be aware
that these exist.
4) To quickly discover if a result is relevant, use the "Find
(on This Page)" command of the browser (in the Edit menu)
or simultaneously press CTRL and F keys then type one of
your important words and press "Find next". You will find
the location of that word, and you can see if the page is
really relevant or not.
What To Do When You Get TOO MANY Results:
It's common to receive millions of results, often unrelated
to the search. To receive more relevant results you'll have
to refine or even rethink the search. Here are some ideas to
help you refine your search:
* Add one or more descriptive words to your query.
* Use phrases. Enclose two or more words that can appear in
exact order within double quotation marks.
* Exclude words you don't want in the results by using the
implied Boolean operator "-". Example: the query "red
apples" -"yellow apples" will find pages that contain
"red apples" - in that order - and will not include pages
that contain "yellow apples. " As you see, there is no
space between the "-" sign and the word or phrase you want
to exclude. There is, however, a space between the "-"
sign and the previous word.
* Use the search tool's "advanced search" functions. Limit
your search by language, date or by field searching: title,
URL, link etc. See the search tool's "search tips" for
details.
What To Do When You Get Too Few Or Irrelevant Results:
Sometimes you will get messages like "Your search did not
match any documents" or "No pages were found containing
your query" or "No results." Other times you may get few
or irrelevant results.
What You Should Do:
* Check the spelling of the query. Some search engines
automatically detect misspelled words and will show the
correct spelling. Just click on the suggested word or words.
* Delete the least important word from the query.
* If you used a search phrases try eliminating the double
quotes.
* Use more general terms, alternate spellings, plural forms or
synonyms. Recently, "Google™ introduced a new advanced
search feature that allows you to not only search for a
particular keyword but also for its synonyms. Just place the
"~" (tilde) diacritical mark directly in front of the
keyword in your search query. For example, "browser ~help"
not only searches for "browser help", but also for
"browser support", "browser tips" and "browser
tutorials."
* You can also check the spelling of the Web page's URL if
you typed it directly into the address field of the browser.
* If all the above strategies fail, switch to another search
tool, preferably a meta search engine such as ez2Find
(formerly ez2www.)
Remember: if you're doing a serious research, consider
asking a professional Web searcher to do the job. In a few
hours, he may find information that would have taken you
days to find.
If you receive the message "The page cannot be displayed"
or "Not found" the page has been discontinued.
What you can do:
* If a page that doesn't display is not the site's home page
you can use the following trick. Cut the Web address of the
page starting on the right-hand side and stopping at every
forward slash (/). Let's say that the URL of a dead link is
www.domainname/archive/article_1.html. First delete
"article_1.html" and click "enter." Hopefully you will
see the "archive" page and the "article 1." If not, also
delete "archive" and click "enter." Hopefully you will
get the home page and there will still be an option
"archive."
* When you cannot see a page, use the "cached" function of
some search engines, such as Google™. Go back to the results
list and click on the "cached" link near the result. You
will get a snapshot of the page stored in Google™'s index.
Keep in mind that Google™ does not cache all the Web pages
in its index and cached pages are often not up-to-date.
Wayback Machine can also show you previous versions of a Web
page. Simply type the URL and than select a date in the
results list. Keep in mind that there are a limited number
of URLs indexed in the Wayback Machine's database.
Be aware that sometimes receiving few results means that
ONLY a few results matched your query. Switch to a meta
search engine and I guarantee you will receive better
results.
Sometimes a search tool simply will not work. Why? Because
it may be disabled or undergoing changes. Try again later.
Other times you might receive messages like "503 Server is
busy" or "Too many users. " Check back later. For U.S.
residents, early morning and late night are the least busy
times.
Qualities Of A Good Web Searcher:
* Patience. You can find what you're looking for in ten
seconds, ten minutes or never. Keep in mind that searching
the Web can be a very time consuming operation.
* Persistence. Don't be scared of millions of results. Don't
give up too fast. Searching the Web is a process of trial
and error.
* Good memory. When conducting extensive research, you'll
have to remember all your previous search queries so you
know what terms you have already tried. Write them down -
it's easier.
* Good organizational skills. Plan your strategy ahead of time
and stick with the plan.
* Creativity. Select the best words for your query.
* Decisiveness. Learn to quickly recognize relevant results in
the search engine's result page. Don't waste your time
with search tools or strategies that don't work.
* Learn and accept the Web's limitations. Sometimes you
cannot find the information because there is no information
available on the Web related to your search. But this
happens very rarely. Most of the time, the problem is not a
lack of information but rather being overwhelmed by relevant
results. That is if you know where and how to search.
And yes, practice, practice, practice. The more you search,
the more you'll know and soon you will be scoring the most
relevant results in the timeliest manner.
A final piece of advice: use bookmarks or favorites.
When visiting a page that you think you might want to visit
again, it's wise to save its web address (URL) in your
"bookmarks" or "favorites" folder in your browser or -
much better - in a Web-based bookmarks manager - such as
MyBookmarks.com - which allows you to access your bookmarks
from any computer at any location.
(I have NO connection with MyBookmarks.com)
The next time you want to visit that page, you simply open
the saved bookmark instead of searching again or typing the
page's URL.
Be aware that in time you can collect thousands of
bookmarks. Be smart and organize them in thoughtfully
labeled categories and subcategories.
Last but not least, back-up your bookmarks just like all the
other important information you back-up from your computer.
Rest assured that finding information on the Web is never a
question of luck. Instead it is the result of a thorough
understanding of how search tools work, combined with
mastering the art of creating a targeted search query.
Searching the Web is not difficult. Like any task, you
simply must press the right buttons.
Good luck with your searches!
Note: Google™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
Do you have searching tips not listed above? Please send
them to mailto:danielbazac@hotmail.com . Thank you.
------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
[sigh] I lied again. I didn't do squat on the site this
week to get it updated as promised. :(
I can't believe how busy this week was. I knew I had a full
schedule, but didn't realize how long some things were going
to go! Here's a short version of what happened this week:
Saturday I went to my friend Fran's house for a sort of
informal meeting with several of us who're involved in
politics. That turned into a party. Fran broke his ankle..
Don't ask. :)
Monday I had two daytime meetings and generally had a busy
work day. That night we went to see a documentary entitled
"Persons of Interest" followed by a panel hearing about the
movie.
Tuesday was another standard work day, but I was getting
nervous about Wednesday's hearings (more later). I also
found out that I'd need to get up earlier than planned to
do a television interview for the morning news show on FOX.
Oi.
Wednesday, I woke up early for the interview, hung out on
campus (the interview and later hearings were at the
University of Utah), and then was one of several panelists
on a Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing about the
USA PATRIOT Act. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah, Chairman of the
Committee on the Judiciary) presided and the whole thing
was on CSPAN-2. I wasn't happy about it, but that's for
another venue. :) To find out more about this, go to my
website http://www.CivilDisobedience.us for details. As
most of you know, I'm a highly political person.
Thursday (today) is, of course, April 15: Tax Day. I had
a phone conference this morning and a report to complete
for a client. Then a protest (which, sadly, fell through)
to protest the Income Tax. Did I mention I'm political?
Anyway, there you go. I have a radio interview today
(KTKK-AM 630 "K-Talk" here in Utah) and so forth. At least
my taxes are done...
Anyway...I won't make any promises about when the site will
be up, but it'll be by next week. ;)
------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"If you you can tolerate IE, but want tabs and pop-up
blocking, download http://www.crazybrowser.com "
--Dayson
Editor: Thanks for the tip! I'll stick with Mozilla for the
extra security, though.
This was meant for another newsletter I produce, but thought
it interesting enough to cross-post here too:
"I just finished reading the 37 Cent Mistake article in this
weeks Online Auction Academy E-Zine. I want to relate an
experience I had with the IRS a few years ago.
"I received a notice of fines and late filing of $2400.00
from the IRS. I went to the local IRS office showed my
certified mail receipt and signed return card. This proved
they had received my tax return days before it was due. This
was excepted by the IRS. What I could not prove was that my
tax payment check was sent in with the tax return. The IRS
office wanted proof that I had sent my check with the tax
return. After a long discussion with the supervisor and
others in the office the conclusion was, there was no way to
prove a check was sent with the return.
"The point I want to make with this experience is you may
have proof that your tax return were filled on time, but
that is not proof you made your payment on time. In the end
I ended up owing $58.00.
"This newsletter has been very useful. Thank you."
--Terry B.
Editor: Thanks, Terry, for the information. Not to wax
political or anything (I usually try to avoid that in this
newsletter), but welcome to the land of the free...
By the way, any history buffs wanna tell me why the following
statement is true? There might be a prize in it for ya...
"We can thank Alexander Hamilton for our current banking and
tax system..."
------------------------------------------------------------
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 6 Basic Rules of E-Commerce
by Martin Cargill
Martin Cargill is the publisher of the Independence Day
Ezine, and you can subscribe at the web-site
http://tinyurl.com/wue1 or by sending an e-mail to
http://tinyurl.com/xb7d
You can now download "In My Own Words" - a FREE e-book, with
FREE distribution rights at http://tinyurl.com/wugu
Editor's Comments: Good information here!
------------------------------------------------------------
How can you expect people to buy your product, if you don't
tell them about it??
I spent half of my lifetime, out there in the bricks-and-
mortar world trying to get business owners and executives to
accept that fact.
The problem, of course, is the wide spread opinion that
advertising and promotion costs are overhead, and whenever
business slows down you need to reduce overhead.
Right!
This is one of those "glass is half filled - or half empty"
questions.
Viewed properly, reducing overhead, particularly in advert-
ising, is tantamount to committing business suicide.
If business is slow now, how can you possibly expect it to
improve, by reducing your promotional attempts.
The fact is that you should increase your advertising budget
in the event of a slowdown in trade. Not by throwing money
around like a drunken sailor, but by careful placement and
repetition of your ads.
1...Don't try to sell your product in the ad.
Ford Motor company and Sony Electronics don't try to SELL
anything in their ads. They are building consumer awareness
of their individual products, and trying to make you WANT
their products.
2...Use your ad to get people to ACT.
In the old Direct Mail days an ad was simply intended to
get the prospect to reach you for further information. After
receiving his info the company would send out a "mailer",
often a brochure or flyer specifically designed to SELL the
product, and get the prospect to ACT.
Today, we speed up the process by inviting the prospect to
view a web page which serves the same purpose.
3...Use your ad to provide a client list.
Then guard it with your life. Do not be tempted to "rent" it
to others, or it will quickly become useless.
Unlike Direct Mail we do not get the prospects' info before
they see the mailer. In the Old Days, if a prospect didn't
buy the product, we used a follow up strategy that included
making offers of different or alternative products. With a
web page if you don't catch their interest immediately,
they're gone forever.
That's why bonuses and FR~E promotional items are so popular.
4...Set up two (or more) Web Pages
Use the first to sell your higher priced item, and the
other(s) to feature lower priced or fr~e products. If you
make the second page a "pop up after" page, then you will
get one more chance to catch the prospects' attention. If
he's leaving your site without acting, you neither made the
sale, nor captured his info. This way you get two chances at
the same prospect.
5...Make your offer "too good to refuse".
I was told long ago to always leave the prospect saying
"wow - such a deal". Even if you barely break level on the
deal, you're a two-time winner. First you captured his info
for back end selling and you have a satisfied customer, who
will be a lot more receptive to your next offer.
6...Never forget that you're in this business for life.
Scamming a prospect is not only enethical, but also stupid,
at least as far as I am concerned.
After all the time, effort and money that you expend in
getting a paying customer, why would you want to "rip him
off". Then you have to start the process all over again.
Make him say "Wow!" and you have a long term prospect on
your hands. And it costs nothing to make the next sale.
------------------------------------------------------------
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)2004 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
[http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/contact/index.shtml?newsletter]
To unsubscribe
[{UNSUBSCRIBE_LINK}]
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).
April 9, 2004
------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #123 April 9, 2004
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. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article:
The 37 Cent Mistake
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Tax Filing 101: It's Never Too Early To Procrastinate
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
------------------------------------------------------------
The 37 Cent Mistake
by Wayne M. Davies
Wayne M. Davies is author of the new eBook, "The Tax
Reduction Toolkit: 29 Little-Known Legal Loopholes That Will
Reduce Your Taxes By Thousands (For Small Business Owners
and Self-Employed People Only!) Don't file another tax
return until you visit:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?aaronicus/wmdctpEditor's Comments: More great info from our favorite tax
guy, Wayne!
------------------------------------------------------------
When it comes to filing your tax return, spending 37 cents
could be the biggest mistake you ever make.
Millions of taxpayers make the mistake of putting their
income tax return in a regular letter-sized envelope,
sticking on a 37 cent stamp, and placing the envelope in
their mailbox.
And millions of taxpayers "get away" with this mistake
year after year.
Why do I say that putting your tax return in the mailbox
is a mistake?
Let me explain.
Every year, a small percentage of mail doesn't get
delivered. The U.S. Postal Service doesn't like to admit
this, but it's true.
Furthermore, even if your tax return gets delivered to the
IRS, every year a small percentage of tax returns get lost
by the IRS.
Don't believe me? I'll never forget the day one of my
clients showed me a letter he received from the IRS:
"We regret to inform you that we received your return....
but have lost it."
Honest to goodness, this actually happened!
So my question to you is this: What are you doing to do if
this happens to you!
If your tax return doesn't get delivered, or if it gets
delivered but is subsequently lost inside the mammoth IRS,
what are you going to do to prove that you actually mailed
the return?
Just calling the IRS and saying, "Well, I mailed it on
time. I know I did!" isn't going to prove anything. And
the burden to prove you mailed the return on time will rest
on your shoulders.
You have two ways to solve this potentially dangerous
problem:
OPTION #1: File your return electronically.
There are many benefits to e-filing. The one I want you to
focus on now is this: When you e-file your return, you
receive an electronic acknowledgement within 48 hours
that the IRS has accepted your return.
Bingo! Now you have proof positive that the return was
filed. 'Nuff said?
E-filing is rapidly becoming the filing method of choice.
But the majority of returns are still filed on paper,
so here's a second way to avoid the "missing return"
dilemma.
OPTION #2: If you're a "paper filer", go to the post office
and spend a measly $4.05 to send the letter via Certified
Mail, Return Receipt Requested.
Doing this will accomplish two very important things:
1. Certified Mail (which costs $2.30) provides the proof
that the return was mailed, and that it was mailed on time,
on or before the due date.
According to the IRS, a paper return is filed on time if it
is mailed in an envelope that is properly addressed and
postmarked by the due date. When you use Certified Mail,
you will get a receipt postmarked by the postal employee,
and that date on the receipt is the postmark date.
So, should the return get lost by the IRS, or if the IRS
questions whether you mailed it on time, you will have
written proof.
Plus, every piece of Certified Mail is assigned a tracking
number which can then be traced by the U.S. Postal Service
should a problem arise.
2. Return Receipt provides another level of insurance.
For an extra $1.75, when the letter is delivered, the
IRS must sign or stamp a receipt that documents the date of
delivery. This receipt then gets mailed back to you, so
that you now have the written proof that the IRS received
it.
Technically, you only need to send the return via Certified
Mail to prove that it was indeed mailed on time. But I
really like the Return Receipt as well -- it gives you that
extra "peace of mind" to know that the IRS received it. And
you'll know exactly what day it was received. This is the
proof of delivery.
So don't run the risk of having your tax return get lost in
the mail.
And don't run the risk of having your tax return get lost
in the piles and piles of paper that flood the IRS each
year.
Think about it. Well over 100 million personal income tax
returns are filed with the IRS every year, and the majority
of them are still prepared on paper and mailed by the U.S.
Postal Service.
The U.S. Postal Service and the IRS are staffed by hard-
working people who are only human. People make mistakes.
To greatly reduce the chance of a mistake being made with
your return, don't you make the mistake of just putting your
tax return in the mailbox.
Instead, e-file it, or take it to the post office and
send it Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. It could
be the best $4.05 you ever spent!
------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
This issue is all about taxes. It's our last issue before
the big day (April 15), so I'm filling it with great info
from our favorite tax guy, Wayne Davies.
If you haven't bought his tax reduction toolkit, I'd highly
suggest you do so! Even if you've already filed your taxes
for this year, check the toolkit and re-do them. You'll
save TONS!
Anyway, I've run behind this week with way too many projects
going on and not enough time to do them. So the site
updates didn't get done like I'd hoped. I've got a pretty
heavy schedule next week too, though a lot of the busywork
I got saddled with this week is clear, so I may get it done
by next issue. If not, I'll give up on it and just switch
the site over to a blog detailing how well the site updates
aren't going. :)
------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"You rule!"
--Editor
"Is Google really planning on starting a hotmail type
service?"
--Jim K.
Editor: Yep, Jim, they are. In a media release late last
week, Google announced "GMail" which will be much like
Hotmail from MSN, but will include a few "extras" (like
speed of page delivery, which Google is famous for). It
will also be ad-driven with Google's AdSense network of PPC
advertising showing ads relevant to the emails contents.
No word yet on whether this will affect only the GMail
account holder, or if all incoming and outgoing mail from
the GMail service will include these ads...
"I like the new site design. When will it be done?"
--Marcia J.
Editor: Hi, Marcia. Well, I promised to have it done this
week, but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen. Sorry.
:( Next week? :)
------------------------------------------------------------
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!
------------------------------------------------------------
Tax Filing 101: It's Never Too Early To Procrastinate
by Wayne M. Davies
Wayne M. Davies is author of the new eBook, "The Tax
Reduction Toolkit: 29 Little-Known Legal Loopholes That Will
Reduce Your Taxes By Thousands (For Small Business Owners
and Self-Employed People Only!) Don't file another tax
return until you visit:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?aaronicus/wmdctpEditor's Comments: More from Wayne!
------------------------------------------------------------
For all you procrastinators out there, here's a nuts 'n
bolts guide on how to legally postpone the filing of your
Year 2002 income tax returns.
When it comes to putting things off, you can never plan too
far ahead!
In many cases the IRS allows you to file a 'no-questions-
asked' extension form. Which particular form you file
depends on what type of entity your business happens to be.
CORPORATIONS:
Whether you are a "C" Corporation or an "S" Corporation, you
must file Form 7004 by March 15. Doing so grants you an
automatic 6-month extension for filing Form 1120 ("C" Corp)
or Form 1120S ("S" Corp). So now you have until September 15
to file your corporate income tax return.
Note: Since March 15 falls on a Saturday this year, you
actually have until Monday, March 17 to either file the
corporate income tax return or file the extension.
By the way, this is true of any tax due date: if the due
date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, then the return is
due on the next business day.
To get a copy of Form 7004, click here:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f7004.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f7004.pdfNote: all the links in this article take you to the IRS
forms website. If "irs-pdf" is in the link, then you will
be taken to a pdf file that can be saved to your hard
drive or printed out; then you can complete the form by hand
and mail it to the IRS.
If "irs-fill" is in the link, you will be taken to a pdf
file with fill-in-the-blank capabilities, enabling you
to complete the form online and then print it out
immediately, without having to complete the form by hand.
PARTNERSHIPS:
You need to file Form 8736 by April 15. This obtains
a 3-month extension to file Form 1065.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8736.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f8736.pdfLIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES (LLC):
Same as partnerships -- File 8736 by April 15 to get
a 3-month extension to file Form 1065.
(The LLC is a cross between a corporation and a partnership.
Legally, the LLC is similar to a corporation, offering
limited liability to the owners. For tax purposes, the LLC
is treated like a partnership.)
SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP:
You need to file Form 4868 to get an automatic 4-month
extension to file your personal income tax return.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4868.pdfhttp://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f4868.pdfNow, before you start extending to your heart's content,
please keep the following guidelines in mind.
EXTENSION TIP #1:
Never forget the mantra of all tax extension forms:
The extension to file the return is NOT an extension to
pay any tax due. It's only an extension for the filing of
your tax return.
In other words, do not view the extension as an opportunity
to legally postpone the payment of your tax.
So if you have a balance due on the return, then
you must still pay the tax by the original tax return due
date. If you file the extension but do not pay the balance
due on time, then you will pay penalty and interest for late
payment of tax. (You will legally avoid the penalty for
late filing, however.)
So what's the point in filing an extension if you still have
to pay the tax?
Three possible scenarios -- first, some folks get most of
their "tax stuff" organized and are able to get enough of
their return done to get the big picture: "Do I owe or am I
getting a refund." You do the calculations, see where you
stand, and if you owe, send in the extension form with a
payment that's pretty close to the final figures.
You may have a few deductions that you need to research, one
last shoebox to peruse. You need more time, that's all.
Second, you're running way behind on tax matters this year.
Hey, it happens! There's no way you're going to get the
return done on time, and you know you'll probably owe, so,
be sure to file the extension, even if you don't know how
much you may owe or even if you can't make a payment with
the extension. The reason? Because there are penalties for
late filing and penalties for late payment of tax. By filing
the extension, at least you avoid the late filing
penalties.
In short, by filing the extension, you can save yourself
some money!
The third scenario is even more common -- you know you're
getting a refund; you always get a refund. Maybe you're
self-employed and your spouse has a W2 job, and the spouse's
tax withholdings are always enough to cover both of you.
And you're in no hurry to get the refund.
Which brings me to:
EXTENSION TIP #2:
If you are getting a refund on your personal return, you
have 3 years to file the return to claim the refund, without
any fear of a late filing penalty.
That's right. As long as you file your return within 3 years
of the original due date (for Year 2002 returns due April
15, 2003 -- that would be April 15, 2006), you'll get your
refund and there is no penalty for "filing late" -- even if
you file after the extended due date of August 15.
Bottom line: if you think you may owe, if at all possible,
do enough calculating to send in a payment with the
extension; if you're getting a refund, still send in the
extension (just to be safe), but relax, you've got plenty of
time to get your money back (assuming you didn't need it
yesterday!).
Oh, one more thing:
EXTENSION TIP #3:
This article only deals with federal extension rules. State
rules vary considerably, so be sure to check with your
state's tax department or your local tax professional to get
the scoop on the extension rules for your particular state.
Some states simply piggyback off the federal rules. Others
don't. So be careful here or you could be penalized severely
for assuming that your state's rules are the same as the
feds.
Many Happy Returns!
------------------------------------------------------------
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)2004 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
[http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/contact/index.shtml?newsletter]
To unsubscribe
[{UNSUBSCRIBE_LINK}]
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).
April 2, 2004
------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #122 April 2, 2004
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. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------
=> Feature Article:
Comparing Web Browsers: The Top Three
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
How To Audit-Proof Your Tax Return Forever!
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
------------------------------------------------------------
Comparing Web Browsers: The Top Three
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz
------------------------------------------------------------
There are three major Web browsers contending for the
Windows PC market: Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the open-
source Mozilla (basis for the Netscape browser), and Opera
Software's Opera browser.
I use each of these fairly regularly, though I do have my
favorites; however, recent changes in favoritism are what
prompted this article. Each of the browsers has its merits
and problems. For this discussion, I'll be listing them in
order of their usage 'Net-wide and for the 4-point scoring
system, Internet Explorer is the "benchmark" as it is the
most widely used browser online (by far) and thus earns two
stars per category.
I rate the browsers on useability, functionality, speed, and
reliability. Useability is based on the browsers intuitive
design features such as side bars, tabbed browsing, etc.
Functionality is based on the browsers "extras" like use of
plugins, browsing options, etc. Speed is obvious and
reliability is based on how often the browser "locks up,"
"crashes," or incorrectly displays a website.
Internet Explorer 6.0
Useability: **
Functionality: **
Speed: **
Reliability: **
IE is used by nearly 90% of the Web's users and comes
standard on most machines sold as it is built into the
Windows operating system. There are a lot of bonuses and
drawbacks to using IE as your primary Web browser. It is
highly adequate, most websites are tuned to IE-specifics,
and it is free to use. On the down side, however, most
scams and viruses are aimed specifically at IE because it is
so widely distributed. IE also foregoes many of the
browsing features many of us love; such as tabbed browsing.
Until recently, IE was my most-used browser as the Web began
to surpass the capabilities of Opera. Regardless, as a
developer, I use IE for testing regularly as it is the
benchmark.
Mozilla 5.0v1.6
Useability: ***
Functionality: ****
Speed: ***
Reliability: ***
I wasn't very impressed with the early versions of Mozilla.
We do have the open-source developers to thank for some of
the innovations we take for granted in browsers now, but
earlier renditions of this browser were slow and clunky.
The latest version of Netscape, based on this browser, had a
rough breaking-in period and many of us stopped using it
outright thanks to its reliability and useability issues.
The latest rendition of Mozilla, however, has converted me
over to using it as my primary browser again. This browser
is adequately fast, has lots of great features, and is free
to use. It has crashed on me (though only the browser, not
a full system crash) once or twice, but not in a big way.
Overall, I find it the nicest of the group.
Opera 7.23
Useability: ****
Functionality: ***
Speed: ****
Reliability: *
Opera used to be my favorite browser by far. It's the
fastest-loading browser I've seen and it was early in
adopting the cool features now taken for granted. It comes
in a free (ad-based) and a purchased version - identical
except for the banner ad delivery at top. This browser has
long been a favorite of many developers, especially since it
so closely adheres to the letter of W3C standards.
However, thanks to that adherence and its ignorance of IE-
specific extras on pages, many sites look downright silly
and very jumbled in this browser. Ad to that its recent
propensity for crashing with this latest edition and you've
got a questionable browser at best. I was disappointed to
see how difficult it was to get basic functions like Java
support to work correctly in this browser and finally gave
up on it despite its great features and useability.
Conclusion
So I'm using Mozilla almost exclusively as my browser now.
It took a little time to get used to hitting Ctrl-T instead
of Ctrl-N to open a new tab instead of browser instance, but
otherwise it's been awesome. It's fast, reliable, renders
well, and has all the requisite plugins you expect. Not to
mention the cool dinosaur symbol. :)
I still have IE since it's the browser used by most surfers,
thanks to its connection with Windows. It's good for
testing, but otherwise I rarely use i. I've removed Opera
from my system altogether thanks to the headaches this
latest version gives. When it goes through another big
overhaul, I'll consider trying it again as I did love many
aspects of the browser: especially its lightning speed.
------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------
I've had one of the busiest weeks of my entire career this
week! Project after project just kept popping up. My
fingers hurt from all the typing. :)
I even went out and spent an afternoon with a friend of mine
who hauls scrap metal and did some real man's work for a
while. Reminds me why I started this business. ;)
Lots of things are happening. I finally put a little time
into the new and improved Aaronz WebWorkz website. You can
see a sneak peek of the design here:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/work-in-progress/Also, for those of you who don't know, I'm running for
office! Specifically Utah State House District 40. I put
up a "holding" page for my campaign website here:
http://www.Vote-Aaron.orgI take donations via PayPal, by the way. Don't be shy! :)
I plan to have the Aaronz WebWorkz site done and fully
operational by the time next week's newsletter rolls out.
At that time, I'll have some kind of grand re-opening
giveaway! See you then.
------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi, I am new at selling and websites, and to read your
articles is just a great treat! You are a very talented
person, and I wish you continued success! I can't even
figure out how to ad a link to my homepage....duh....God
Bless You for helping us."
--Tonya
Editor: Wow, thanks, Tonya! By the way, you can check out
my free online HTML tutorial at this link:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/resources/index.shtml?HTMLThat's one of the things that will be getting a bit of an
upgrade... :)
"Aaron, what an awesome newsletter!!!!
Glad to be one of your readers,"
--Gladys C.
Editor: Thanks, Gladys! Wow, the fan mail is pouring in
this week.
------------------------------------------------------------
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!
------------------------------------------------------------
How To Audit-Proof Your Tax Return Forever!
(My Recent Close Encounter Of The IRS-Kind)
Copyright 2003 Wayne M. Davies Inc.
Wayne M. Davies is author of the new eBook, "The Tax
Reduction Toolkit: 29 Little-Known Legal Loopholes That Will
Reduce Your Taxes By Thousands (For Small Business Owners
and Self-Employed People Only!) Don't file another tax
return until you visit:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?aaronicus/wmdctpEditor's Comments: The Tax Man Cometh!
------------------------------------------------------------
Congress recently passed legislation that is supposed to
result in a more "sensitive" Internal Revenue Service. You
know, not such a lean, mean, tax-collecting machine.
I DON'T THINK SO! Here's why.
A few months ago, one of my clients (let's call him Mr.
Jones) got one of those IRS "love letters" requesting more
information about his return, and the IRS wanted to meet
with Mr. Jones in person to discuss the situation (not a
good sign!)
Mr. Jones (a local small business owner) was required to
show up at the local IRS office with all his records. The
IRS was questioning the legitimacy of several business
deductions -- and so the IRS was doing what it is allowed by
law to do -- demand that the taxpayer prove that those
deductions were valid.
[By the way, most IRS audits are done these days by mail.
Humans are rarely involved in these so-called
"correspondence audits."
Those big IRS computers can check and cross-check all kinds
of information that should be reported on your tax return.
And if something doesn't show up on the return that is
easily tracked by the IRS computers, then the computer just
spits out a not-so-friendly "discrepancy notice", which you
can respond to via mail.]
Turns out that Mr. Jones lost the audit and ended up owing
the IRS a significant amount of money -- the additional tax,
plus penalty and interest for late payment of that tax.
Why did Mr. Jones' lose the audit? Mr. Jones made two
"classic" taxpayer mistakes:
MISTAKE #1: "NO RECEIPT, NO DEDUCTION"
Mr. Jones lost several deductions simply because he didn't
have the proper documentation to prove the deductions.
What do I mean by "documentation"?
Well, if the IRS requires you to substantiate a deduction on
your tax return, you must be able to provide written proof
that the deduction really happened. The easiest way to
prove a deduction is to hang on to:
a) The receipt or invoice, and
b) Proof of payment, which can be a canceled check, cash
receipt, or credit card statement.
Mr. Jones reported numerous deductions for which he simply
didn't have the documentation. No receipts, no canceled
checks, no nothing. Turns out that Mr. Jones was one of
those "cash guys". Do you know what I mean by a "cash guy"?
Maybe you know what kind of guy I'm talking about -- He
never wrote a check in his life, just carried a wad of cash
around in his pocket. He paid for everything with cash, and
never kept any of his receipts.
Every year he would just sit down with his wife and
"remember" how much he spent on different things. No way to
prove any of this, of course. He just had a "feel" for how
much cash he had spent, and he had run his business for so
many years that he just "knew" how much it cost to purchase
certain things.
Well, this is the kind of taxpayer that the IRS loves!
It really is true -- if you can't prove that you paid for
something (with receipts, invoices, canceled checks, etc.),
then you run the risk of losing that deduction in the event
of an audit.
One of the most common questions I am asked by clients is
this: "I know I paid for something, but I don't have a
receipt. Should I still report the deduction."
My response is usually this: "You only need a receipt if
you get audited!"
Think about that for a minute! At first, many clients don't
know if I am joking or not. Well, I do make that comment
with my tongue planted firmly in cheek, but there really is
a lot of truth to it. If you don't have the documentation
to prove a deduction, you can still report the deduction
(if you want), because you only have to prove the deduction
if you get audited.
But if you do get audited, knowing that there are
undocumented deductions on the return, be prepared to lose
the deduction!
And here's the second major mistake that Mr. Jones made:
MISTAKE #2: BOGUS DEDUCTIONS!
It turns out that Mr. Jones wasn't completely honest with me
about some of his deductions. He reported deductions that
simply were not real deductions. Here's one example:
Mr. Jones owned several rental houses. These rental houses,
of course, required maintenance and repair work. Many
times Mr. Jones would do the work himself rather than pay
someone else to do the work.
Well, Mr. Jones would estimate what he would have had to pay
someone else to do the work that he did himself, and then
he would report that amount as a deduction, even though he
didn't actually pay anybody to do the work!
In other words, Mr. Jones deducted the value of his time --
a big No-No!
This is an important point -- you can never legitimately
deduct the value of your time for work you did. You have to
actually pay someone else to do the labor.
Well, that's what happened to Mr. Jones. He made a couple
classic mistakes and paid the consequences.
I hope you benefited by learning what can happen in a real
audit. If you ever get a letter from the IRS that demands
additional information, you'll have nothing to worry about
if you do exactly the opposite of what Mr. Jones did. If
you can properly document your deductions and assuming you
have no bogus information, you'll pass the audit with flying
colors!
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