Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly Newsletter

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Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #130 May 28, 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:
Google AdSense Adds Enhancements for Users
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
What's new on the Internet
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Google AdSense Adds New Enhancements for Users
by Merle http://MCPromotionsPress.com
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com
"Where some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made"
Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction setting!
Publishers sell off your excess inventory and Buyers pick up
some 'FANTASTIC' bargains. Free E-book on how to write
"glowing" ezine ads.....Download Now at
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf

Editor's Comments: Another great article from our friend
Merle!
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If you have a website and don't mind displaying ads that
relate to your website's content, you can earn a decent
income with Google AdSense. Every time someone clicks on one
of the ads on your site, you make money. It's not a bad gig
for doing absolutely nothing.

Here are the new enhancements Google has added to the
AdSense program:

1) Channels: It used to be hard to tell which ad layouts and
webpages were performing the best. Google added what they
call "channels" to make it easy to track which ads on which
pages of your site are receiving the most clicks. To start
using channels, you'll need to set them up from within your
Google control panel and then paste the code on your
webpages. You can set up to 20 channels and deactivate them
at will. You can also assign channels to multiple domains if
you run ads on them, in order to track performance of each.
If you like to test and track, you'll love using channels.

2) Downloadable Reports: If you want to easily track your
monthly and daily income, you can download detailed reports
in comma separated values (CSV) format. These reports can be
viewed from within Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet
programs.

3) Public Service Ads: When Google can't serve up targeted
ads for your website, PSA's are shown. These are ads for
non-profit organizations. Nothing is paid for click thru's
on public service ads, so you may wish not to display them
at all. This can be done by using Alternate Ad Color. By
selecting your web page's background color, the "PSA's" will
blend into the background instead. You can set different
options for each page of your site or use your own alternate
ads in their place.

4) Framed Pages: If you use frames within your site design,
you'll want to make sure you select the "framed page"
checkbox. By selecting this option you'll be telling
Google's spider to gather content from the right frame,
thereby insuring relevant ads are appearing.

5) Image Ads: If you're bored with serving up plain text
ads, you can now choose to display images as well. Image
ads are just like the text ads, as they are matched to the
content of each page. You cannot run image ads alone; they
are shown in rotation with text ads. If this option
interests you, there are currently four sizes available:
Banner (468x60), Leaderboard (728x90), SkyScraper (120x600)
and Medium Rectangle (300x250).

It makes you wonder if Google is trying to make banner ads
"fashionable" again. At this time, you cannot track click
thru's from image ads separately from text ad click thrus.
Images are limited to 50K in size and should not increase
your load time too much. If you'd like to test the waters
with image ads, you can select to display them on only some
pages of your site.

Google's Adsense program is loaded with features and they
make it possible for everyone (even the "little guy") to
profit from his website. Once the code is in place, you do
nothing while your site is quietly earning an income in the
background. Imagine, your web hosting fees automatically
paid each and every month. Isn't it time your site started
paying for its keep?

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

FINALLY! The new site design is up and running! I've got
the majority of the website up now and have completely taken
down the old version. Soon you'll see the new back-issues
section for the newsletter up and running as well as the
other "under construction" bits of the site.

It was tedious work: I had to take all of the data from the
old site (which was serving via XML) and re-do it to fit the
new design.

You'll notice that I'm serving some ads on this new site.
Don't be surprised if the newsletter back-issues and my
articles archive aren't using Google AdSense ads to go with
their heavy content. :)

I feel much better about things now that this is FIANLLY off
my shoulders. I'll get the rest done shortly (ran out of
time today) and will then be able to move on to some other
things I've been keeping on the back burner.

By the way...the secret to good website coding is...you
guessed it: Jack & Coke!

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Readers Talk Back!
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Editor: Wow, I got about a billion answers (OK, five) to
what PayPal's actual phone number is. Here's a couple:

"PayPal's number is (was) 1-888-221-1161. I have called
them on that number but it has been awhile."
--Jean M.

"I have a phone number to reach PayPal it is 402-935-2050"
--Dave & Peggy

Editor: Thanks! Both numbers work and both end up with the
same phone system and will eventually get you to a live
person.

"Maybe the ghost in the jar knows something about paypal..."
--Rob K.

Editor: Hmm...maybe. Thanks for the, errr...help, Rob.

"Escape From the Clutches of a Counterfeit Web Site
Chris Larson (NYT)
The Internet can be a dangerous place, with every e-mail
message a potential carrier of viruses, Trojan horses or
come-ons from phishers - thieves hoping to trick you into
giving up passwords, credit card numbers or other personal
information. Such e-mail often looks like a legitimate
message from companies like eBay, PayPal or Citibank, but
the links they provide lead to "spoofed" Web sites that look
legitimate but are not."

Editor: A reader sent that in as a reminder to watch out for
those counterfeit, identity-stealing sites.

------------------------------------------------------------
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!

------------------------------------------------------------
What's New on the Internet?
by Susan Dunn, MA
©Susan Dunn, MA, internet marketing coach,
http://www.webstrategies.cc . Let us design and implement
your marketing plan. Web strategies, web design, web copy,
article writing and submission, ebook production and launch
on Internet, pdf and print-on-demand formatting, cover
design, sales letter, national and international press
releases. For FREE ezine, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc and put
"Checklist" for subject line.

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

1. The yearly growth of US Internet users over the age of 65
outpaced all other demographic groups by staggering margins.

Older adults (50-64) and seniors (65+) were two of the
fastest emerging demographic groups online. (Jupiter
Research)

2. Roughly 17 million US surfers during September 2003
were between the ages of 2 and 17.

3. High earners spend the most time online.

4. Like manna from heaven, comScoreMediaMetrix found that
those earning above $100,000 annually spent the most time
online and viewed the most pages.

Nearly 84% of them visited a retail site. They are 20% more
likely to visit a travel site than the average Internet
user, and they're 10% more likely to visit news sites.

5. After a report showed that those elusive men aged 18
to 34 had abandoned network television, marketers prayed
they'd show up online, and at least two studies suggest
they have!

They spend 17% more time online and really plow through
a whole lot more pages. (Analagous to channel surfing?)

6. A group called the "Tech Elite" (31% of the US
population) consumes the most information, goods and
services online and they are the most likely to abandon
televisions
and landline phones.

They're defined as
a. The "Young Tech Elites", average age 22, account for 20%
of highest adopters
b. "Older Wired Baby Boomers," average age 52, also 20%
c. "Wired GenXers," average age 36, at 60%

7. Re: email in the US, 39% of African-Americans and 39% of
Hispanics use it on any given day, compared to 54% of white
Internet users. (Source: Pew Internet and American Life
Project)

8. However, it's the Hispanics who like to IM. 64% said
they used IM, while only 46% of whites and 46% of blacks
said "yes".

9. Hispanics lead in chat room usage. 40% participate in
chat room discussion, compared to 35% of blacks, and 22% of
whites.

10. Married people spend more money online
(Nielsen/NetRatings) and apparently find the Internet more
functional than their single counterparts who use it
recreationally and socially.

52% of married surfers made an online purchase during the
last six months, while only 47% of single surfers did.

Married folks bought home-things - garden supplies and
educational software. Singles concentrated on
entertainment and financial services. Top destination
for singles was Match. Com, and for married,
FamilyFun.com.

Source of data unless otherwise listed is CyberAtlas.com.

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

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #129 May 21, 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:
3 Keys To Building a Successful (Online) Business
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Working From Home Is A Family Affair
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
3 Keys To Building a Successful (Online) Business
Copyright 2004 David Lovelace
Discover How To Build Your Own Internet S uccess Story With
NO Prior Sales, Marketing, or Business Experience in 90
Days! Click for details:
http://www.CompleteInternetMarketingGuide.com. Dave
Lovelace is publisher of 6 Figure Marketing Tips (Audio)
E-letter. Click here to subscribe:
http://www.6figuremarketing.com/subscribe.html

Editor's Comments: We're going back to basics with this
issue, covering core issues like new business building...
------------------------------------------------------------

Want to know the secret to effectively building a successful
online business? I'm afraid the answer may not be what
you're expecting.

Take this simple pop quiz. (I know, I haven't given you
time to study yet. But I think you'll pass the test
anyway).

If you want to build a structurally sound home, you must
first do what?

If you said, "Lay a solid foundation". Then
congratulations. You've passed! :-)

Building your online business is no different. The secret
is not new. Just follow these 3 keys:

1.--> Learn
2.--> Take Action
3.--> Adapt

1. Learn

Educate yourself. But don't re-invent the wheel. Model your
business after the blueprints that are already proven.
There are systems in place. Follow them! But MOST
importantly ...

2. Take Action!

Lack of this step is the single greatest contributor to
failure! Educate yourself on the proven systems, then put
them into Action. But remember this .. it doesn't matter
that it's not perfect. It's not going to be. Just the fact
that you did 'something' will motivate you and the momentum
will come. If you know what you need to do, then "Just Do
It".

3. Adapt

Change is around us all the time. Stay informed. It's just
as important to know what Doesn't work as what Does!

Realize that it doesn't come without hard work, desire,
patience, perserverance (belief in yourself) - and lots of
A-C-T-I-O-N. Did I say that already?

Now here's what to do from here. Take keys and insert into
business ignition. Crank and don't look back.

Enjoy the ride!

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

Funny stuff happened this week. I live on a semi-private
lane that contains four houses, some of which are duplex
units. We have a USPS mailbox that we all share (a box with
eight separate boxes in it). Anyway, this guy in a Honda
Civis loses control of his car on the street (going wayyyy
too fast), jumps across the road, plows over a fire plug,
nails the mailbox, and then obliterates the rock wall behind
it (finally stopping his car). All of the airbags in the
car went off, of course, and the car was a total for sure.

The guy is OK, but our mailbox and wall are gone. The city
replaced the broken fire plug two days later, but the Post
Office has yet to replace our mailbox, so we're stuck with
no mail. Luckily, I can put in a forward and have it sent
to my business address, but my neighbors are still left
with no mail. I have nothing but praise for the efficiency
of anything run by the government. :)

Anyway, later into this week, ANOTHER car is parked across
the street (same street) and the lady forgets to put on her
parking break and/or leave the thing in gear. She goes into
her friend's house and returns to find that her SUV has
rolled about thirty feet and been stopped by a telephone
pole. The same pole my cable television, Internet, etc. is
strung on... so there's a live cable wire laying in coils
on the ground around her SUV after having sheared thanks to
her truck knocking the pole (ruining her bumper, of course)
and pushing it off-center.

So I have no Internet and no TV for half a day. :)

I got caught up on some reading. I'm in the middle of a
book by Roy Underhill the Woodwright from PBS. I'm learning
to make wooden hay forks, rakes, and chairs using only
hand tools...

Maybe I'll sell 'em on eBay.

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"dunno why but a lot of the links on the newsletters come
through broken like this one. I had to copy the 2nd half in
manually and futz around with underscores, spaces, and none
before I got it right..."
--Warren K.

Editor: Actually, I think it's the spaces in the URLs that's
making only part of them become links in your email reader,
Warren. Get off that Mac and this won't be a problem. :)

"Where the @#$@'s your website, you ingrate?"

Editor: I know, I suck. Soon!

"The ghost in a jar auction is back. Lets see how far the
bidding goes this time."
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4167567828
--Crystal

Editor: tee-hee, this guy lists this every so often,
claiming the jar "returned to him" thanks to its curse. :)

"Do you by any chance know how I can contact a PERSON in the
PayPal organization? I have a transaction pending that I
really want to resolve...."
--Robert

Editor: Well, Robert, that's definitely a good question. I
haven't had to try to call anyone, though I have had them
call me (to verify an unusual transaction). I went through
the site and can't find a number either. Maybe someone
reading will know.

------------------------------------------------------------
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!

------------------------------------------------------------
Working From Home Is A Family Affair
© 2003 Theresa V. Wilson, M.Ed., Owner of Meeting Grief
Needs, providing on line products and support resources for
individuals, families, and caregivers. Contact us at:
1-800-659-8055 ext. 5253 or e-mail at
VMA@meetingtheneeds.org

Editor's Comments: More basics, this time covering work-at-
home issues.
------------------------------------------------------------

The level and quality of family input and support are often
ignored when starting a business. Even with money and
inventive ideas, family backing and emotional support are
primary ingredients to success. This article provides
questions which must be considered before embarking on any
business venture. Don’t let your initial responses or
persuade you to change your mind before you begin. They are
meant to encourage you to be creative, think beyond the box,
eliminate “tunnel vision,” and to master the possibilities
of being an independent self-starter ready to be a
successful entrepreneur.

Do You Have Family Support For Your Home Based Business
Idea? Starting a business is challenging and difficult.
Even with money and inventive ideas, family backing and
emotional support are primary ingredients to success. Home
based in itself means that more than one person will be
affected by changes in environment and living conditions.
Many home based businesses falter because owners fail to
take into account the adjustments that naturally occur when
working out of the home. Before embarking on any “at home”
business take the time to explore the idea with all
involved. Make a list of advantages and disadvantages
together. Especially when children are involved, be sure
to include them in this important phase of planning.
Discuss “do’s” and “don’ts” when the parent is on “work
time”. Clarify “quality time,” so that you diffuse
resentment of changes in lifestyle patterns. Make sure
everyone “buys in” to the concept of a work at home business.
Most importantly, develop marketing strategies and
projections so that each family member has assignments and
business related “jobs” that encourage a sense of shared
business ownership. Remember succeeding in business is
difficult enough without the certainty of family support.

How Will You Know If You’re Ready? Home based businesses
are more than a run-of-the- mill idea. One important
consideration is selecting something not only of interest to
you, but is also something you are capable of doing. It
should be a business for which you have a high level of
expertise as a result of professional and/or career
interests and abilities or because of a hobby you’ve
practiced over the years. Never elect to start a business
based totally on new untested ideas or based on a dependency
on the ideas of another. If you have not fully developed
your idea, take the time to investigate and explore it from
various viewpoints. Take the time to research your topic
and write a vision for your business plan. It might also be
worthwhile attend seminar or workshop training sessions on
developing and writing a business plan. Keep the family
involved in these early stage development plans. Remember,
two heads are better than one. You also encourage continued
family ownership in business development.

How Much Money Will You Need? The amount of money needed
for starting your home based business depends on the product
or services you are selling. Bridal consulting businesses,
for example require low overhead costs. A computer and
printer, telephone, file cabinet, paper, pens, etc. are some
of the basic start up materials needed. However, arts and
crafts, floral arrangements, or gift baskets will demand
purchase of items needed to prepare the products for sale.
With proper planning and business projections, you will be
able to develop financial projections based on beginning
inventories, expenses and estimated sales. Planning
business income strategies and cutting costs for inventory
investments can create a need for additional family
discussions. What luxury items must be sacrificed or
detoured during the business start phase? What family
vacations will be delayed or eliminated and for how long?
Up front and open family conversations at the beginning of
business planning can help eliminate unnecessary
disappointments later.

Do You Have A Product or Idea Worth Selling? This is where
a family’s input becomes an immeasurable tool. Your family
is your first line of prospecting and sales. You can start
by presenting your idea as part of a family meeting. Your
presentation should be as thorough and professional as if
you are about to make the most important sale of your
career. Encourage them to role play customer questions and
responses. This strategy serves a dual purpose. You gain
from a critical “in-house” critique of your product or idea
before it goes public, and you gain family members with a
broader perspective of the company and their role as
marketing advocates or potential sales representatives.

Do You Have A “Niche” Market? Who are your customers? A
niche market is a small group of people who have a
particular interest in what you are selling. It is important
to develop a description of people you feel will purchase
your product or will be receptive to the services you offer.
Your marketing plan is developed based on the identity of
your niche market. Your niche market will be composed of
people buying products and service that will benefit them.
Look closely at your product or service and compose a list
of potential customers. Remember, people seek to buy things
that will help them or make them or their loved ones feel or
look better. Your goal is to have your business viewed as
offering something of benefit to others. Take the time to
evaluate your product or service then decide what type of
people will benefit the most by using it. They will be your
niche market.

Can You Afford a Marketing Strategy? You’ve developed your
business plan, secured start up financing, identified your
“niche” market and are ready to sell. Implementing a
marketing strategy is an area where we all have made
mistakes. Often we assume the only way to get an idea,
product or service recognized is to invest large sums of
money, the lack of which means no success. Don’t forget to
think out of the box. With just a little exploration in
basic marketing techniques, you can get into the competitive
arena on a limited budget. Instead of spending an enormous
amount of money, you will reinvest energy resulting in
better use of quality time.

You can invest in low cost e-commerce web sites to advertise
and market your product or service. It is best to research
and select web site programs that allow you to prepare,
edit, add and delete content and pictures at your own pace.
Take the time to learn how to manage your own site and save
money. Publish articles on the web, so that you can attract
customers to your site. Establish auto responders on your
web pages so that people can interact and learn more about
your products. Family input is key. Let them participate in
this process. Encourage them to share ideas and include
them in the step by step planning and development process.

Will You Be Successful? Your level of success in working at
home is measured based on the amount of input and time you
invest in your business. It will be enhanced by the quality
partnerships you develop with people as close as the kitchen
table. If you include your family in the very beginning of
the planning process, they will be your foundation of support
and encouragement. They will be key assets for promoting
and marketing strategies. They will be your first line of
defense and support during those challenging “lean” times
every business experiences. Starting and running a business
is a family affair. If you can determine their comfort level
of involvement, you will help increase your chances for
success.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)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://www.aaronzwebworkz.com]

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).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #128 May 14, 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:
New SMTP Email Authentications May Stop SPAM
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
How To Recruit Others To Promote For You At No Cost
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
New SMTP Email Authentications May Stop SPAM
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

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

OK, I admit that these ideas will probably not "cure" SPAM,
but they are likely to curb it and will be a strong tool in
combating our inbox overflows.

Three major initiatives have been announced in the past
year: Sender Policy Framework (SPF), Domain Keys (from
Yahoo! Inc.), and Caller ID for E-Mail (Microsoft). These
three plans are all based on the same idea of somehow
authenticating an email received by verifying that it was
really sent by the server (email account) it says it was:
called SMTP Authentication.

First, some background. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol) is the basis for sending nearly all email on the
Internet, with very few exceptions. It is a protocol that
has been in use for years and is standard in all parts of
the world and on all platforms.

A new group, part of the Anti-Spam Research Group, called
MTA Authorization Records in DNS, was formed in February
and plans to have a working document submission by August
of this year.

The plan, while not fleshed out, is based on SPF. Email
sent via SMTP has what's called "envelopes" (technically
the RFC2821 specification). These envelopes contain such
header data as the To:, From:, etc. fields as well as some
other routing information.

The idea is pretty simple: if the server or mail filter can
authenticate (by pinging or otherwise checking) the "From:"
address in the mail header, the email is considered
legitimate. The downer to this? It's easy to "spoof" real
email addresses in an email not sent from those addresses.
Some spammers are already doing this to get around some of
the various filters' "response" schemes to check email
validity.

So don't expect instant gratification for the SPAM problem
by the end of the year. However, this is a great first
step. Compared to past initiatives by these groups, this
new initiative is moving at the speed of light!

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

Things are finally picking up! I've been working on the new
Aaronz WebWorkz website and it's coming along nicely. If
you'll remember from last week that I was inputting the back
issues of this newsletter into a blog, you'll be glad to
know that this is done! You can read those here:
http://awwnewsletter.blogspot.com/

Soon, the new site will be completed and the blog/back-
issues will move to the new setup. I'll then have some
improvements for it like searchability, an archive of my
articles, and more!

I won't make any promises as to when the new site will be up
but it will be sooner than later. :)

In other news, I had a slight crisis with my notebook
computer (again) this week. I installed some new updates
from Microsoft and suddenly the unit stopped working
altogether...greeeeeaaat.. So I uninstalled the new updates
and said "to hell with it," and am leaving it that way.
That's the last time I update anything from MicroShaft. :)

That's about it for this week! See you all next Friday!

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"'Send donations to: Aaron Turpen, PMB 170, 869 East 4500
South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107.'

Hook yourself up to some type of electronic payment (paypal
works for me) and I'll think about it. 8-)"
--Daylan

Editor: aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com is my PayPal address. ;)

"Going into politics, eh?

Well, here are three things you can mention while you're out
there campaigning:

1. Tell younger people to study the sciences, because that
is where the future lies. Even if they want to be lawyers or
artists, they should still know about various technologies
which affect their lives.

2. Tell everybody to begin learning one foreign language,
because that will enable them to work within the global
economy.

3. Tell everybody to read a book , "Perfectly Legal", by
David Johnston. It demonstrates how rigged the US tax system
is.

Regards,"
--Roy Troxel ( http://www.webservertimes.com )

Editor: Thanks, Roy! Especially that last one. :)

"Good newsletter! One piece of free software that publishes
in PDF that you neglected to mention is OpenOffice.org 1.1.0
It is a complete office suite, comparable to Microsoft
Office and it is free. I have been using that and NetDIVE
Oxygen Browser for a year and had almost no problems. The
ONLY thing that I have had trouble with is the LPU
Newsletter from Charlie. I puts the statue of liberty on a
page by itself. Other than that - no problems."
--Fran T. ( http://www.LPUtah.org )

Editor: Thanks, Fran! I'd forgotten that OpenOffice.org
does PDF. For the newsletter, by the way, converting it
straight from Word (using PDF999 or something similar) is
easier as that's the newsletter's original format (Word).

Anwyay, apparently all of my mail this week involved only
politics. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
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 Recruit Others To Promote For You At No Cost
*written by Joe Bingham of NetPlayNewsletters.com
Need more specific information on how to:
*find and attract 'super affiliates' to promote for you.
*how to structure your offers to make them irresistible
*capture email addresses from your affiliates advertisements
Check out "Joint Venture Secrets... Revealed!" at:
http://www.netplaynewsletters.com/joint_venture_secrets.html

Editor's Comments: Joe is back again with another great
article!
------------------------------------------------------------

Getting others to promote for you saves you money, expands
your efforts, and offers you a much wider range of exposure
than you could possibly do on your own.

Now, specifically, I'm talking about you with a product or
service of your own that you'd like to promote and how to
recruit others to assist you in that promotion.

In order to be successful at this, you'll need to follow
the right path.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT MARKET

The people you want to promote for you are ones that have
an opt-in list of contacts based upon an association that
relates to what you are selling.

In other words, if you're selling doggie treats, you
approach ezine publishers with a contact list of pet owners.
If you're selling fishing poles, you contact webmasters that
have sportsmen frequenting their site.

Visit the sites and ezines you believe will represent your
target market and check them out.

*Look for content that relates to what you are selling or
attracts similar customers.
*Look to see if competition to your product or service is
already being promoted there and if you need to modify your
approach because of it.
*Get a feel for the best way to present your proposal to the
publisher or webmaster.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE APPROACHING

"Dear Editor" isn't good enough. You'll get a lot further
in the door if you address people by name.

Don't stop there either. Let them know how you found their
site or ezine, and what you like about it. It may not
always be practical, but actually being a reader of the
ezine you're approaching does help.

Yes, this will require some research and effort on your
part. Joint venture proposals are not something you can
just throw out to large numbers and expect results. Fewer
numbers done on a personal basis will be more rewarding for
you.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM?

You've got to give others PLENTY of reason to promote for
you. Believe me, ezine publishers and well trafficked web
sites get more offers for joint ventures than they can
possibly handle. So, as with anything, you've got to make
your offer stand out.

So what can you offer to publishers and webmasters?

The simple answer is VALUE. You don't necessarily have to
offer them commissions on sales to give them value either.
Think about how you can provide value to the readers or
visitors of the ezine or site as well as to the publisher
or webmaster.

Give them MORE than expected if you want to get results.

Can you offer the publisher a free product, and a discount
or free trial to his or her readers?

Can you offer HIGH commissions on sales, such as 70-80% or
even more?

What about offering full re-sale value? Does your product
provide information to readers that encourages them to
purchase other products of yours or sign up for affiliate
programs under you?

Then, why not give others all the front end profits while
you reap all the back end sales? If it gets you more
promotion in more ezines and on more sites, it may well be
worth it.

Be creative. Consider what promotion on multiple sites and
ezines is really worth. Think of what will truly drive
people to take you up on your offer and stick with the
promotion of it long enough to see some returns.

ONE MORE CRUCIAL ASPECT

Besides knowing your target market, gaining real knowledge
of the publisher or webmaster, and offering them a good
deal, there's something MORE you need to provide.

A compelling reason as to WHY they should work with you.

Does your product have a good track record of sales? Let
them know so they can begin to imagine how well it can do
for them.

Does it have a high value? Are you offering a tremendous
discount or additional bonuses? Will offering it increase
their value in the eyes of their customers? Is your product
or service unique or revolutionary? Can you back up your
offer with testimonials from others? Are you believable?
Do you have a solid reputation and a money back guarantee?

Just as in anything, you are in competition with many
others. You've got to stand out and SHOW them WHY they
should listen to you.

MAKING CONTACT

Definitely be personable. If your first contact email looks
or sounds anything like a 'pre-set' message, you're could be
immediately discredited.

Briefly introduce yourself, how and why you know them, and
then get directly to the benefits they can expect from the
offer you are presenting them.

Concentrate on what they will get out of the partnership.
You don't need to explain your end, they will most likely be
able to figure that out. Just state what you are willing to
do as you assist them in profiting from offering your
product or service to their list of contacts.

Ask for their personal approval on the product or service.
The better they know or the more they are personally
involved with it, the better their promotion will be.

Publishers and webmasters are already involved in their own
business and get new offers all the time as well, so don't
be discouraged if you don't get tremendous results.

However, it's no secret that Joint Ventures produce a HIGHER
response rate than traditional advertising. Just remember
to go about it the right way and put all your elements in
place beforehand.

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

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #127 May 7, 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:
Why Pay Big Bucks for PDF Software:
Consider Your Options
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Uncover Your Hidden Markets
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Why Pay Big Bucks for PDF Software:
Consider Your Options
By Merle http://MCPromotionsPress.com
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com
"Where some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made"
Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction setting!
Publishers sell off your excess inventory and Buyers
pick up some Fantastic bargains. Free E-book on how to
write "glowing" ezine ads.....Download Now at
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf

Editor's Comments: Here's a great article from Merle. By
the way, I would highly recommend her site
"EzineAdAuction.com." I use it regularly!
------------------------------------------------------------

If you've ever downloaded a document or purchased an ebook
online, odds are it was created in something called
"Portable Document Format" (PDF). PDF was initially created
by Adobe and is the standard for online documents, as they
can be viewed on a variety of platforms and computers.

To read PDF documents, a computer must have "Adobe Acrobat
Reader" installed, which comes at no charge. If you don't
already have it on your system, you can download it here:
http://adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Now if you want to create a PDF document, you could go out
and spend a few hundred dollars on Adobe Acrobat Software.
But there are other, lower cost (even free) options. If you
plan on creating reports or ebooks, or any other document to
add to your website, you'll want to take a look at what's
available in the PDF creation department.

1) http://PDFMoto.com : A Web publishing system that
converts documents you create in any Windows application
into PDF. They offer several different versions, so pricing
varies, but they do offer a free version that is limited to
50 documents.

2) http://PDF995.com : Free software that allows you to
create PDF documents as easily as hitting the "print" key
from within any application. The free version has an
advertising splash page that comes up everytime you run the
program but you can purchase "keys" for $9.95 each to remove
them if they bother you.

3) http://Sanface.com/txt2pdf.html : Txt2PDF Shareware that
is actually a Perl 5 program that converts your old text
docs to PDF format. Runs on any platform that supports Perl.
The personal edition is only $39.00

4) http://www.oakworth.demon.co.uk/gymnast.htm
Gymnast is a text to PDF creator for Windows. This
downloadable software is actually freeware. Very powerful
and easy to use and it's loaded with features. Just open the
software, select the document and convert it.

5) http://tinyurl.com/la4j : CutePDF Printer is totally
free. This software has no annoying ads or banners. Choose
print from within any application to create a PDF instantly.

6) http://Win2PDF.com : This software creates PDF files from
any Windows NT, Win 2000 or XP application. Price ranges
from $35.00 to $69.00, depending on which version you wish
to purchase. Installs as a print driver so all you do is
click print from any software app you're using and you're
done.

As you can see, you have plenty to choose from when it comes
to software packages, but what if you just have an
occasional need to create PDF's? There are some websites
that will allow you to create documents right online at
their sites.

Here are a few to get you started:

1) Adobe: http://www.Adobe.com
Look in the left hand column for the button that says
"create PDF online." You can create up to five documents
free; after that you'll need to pay $9.99 a month or $99.00
per year for unlimited usage.

2) Create Your Own PDF:
http://www.sanface.com/createpdf.html
Just paste your text into the box and hit the button.
Presto, you're done.

3) GoBlc: http://www.gohtm.com/
Free online conversion service that allows you to upload
any document. They do the PDF conversion and email you back
with the file.

One of the biggest problems with PDF documents, especially
when it comes to ebooks, is that they're not easily modified
for use by affiliates /associates. Many .exe ebooks allow
you to download them and easily customize them with your own
affiliate links. When it comes to viral marketing,
rebranding ability is of the utmost importance. This gives
others the incentive to freely give away your ebook if they
can insert their own affiliate links. This was a problem
with PDF, but not anymore.

1) Viral PDF: http://viralpdf.com
With this software, you can easily rebrand your PDF ebooks.
It's actually a set of two Windows files. Once you create
your material you can give it to your affiliates along with
a small software application that allows them to rebrand the
links in the ebook with their own. Only $67.00

2) Custom PDF Maker : http://CustomPDFMaker.com
A script that allows your visitors to enter their links into
a webpage, press a button and the PDF is created with their
links in it. Only $19.95

3) PDF Link Changer: http://PDFLinkChanger.com
Software that searches through a PDF file, displays all
url's and email links and allows you to easily change them.
If you create marketing materials for your affiliates, this
one's for you. Purchase without resale rights for only
$19.00

No matter how you choose to create your own PDF's -- with
software, on the fly online, or rebrandable -- by taking the
time to check out these resources, you'll save yourself a
lot of time and money. Remember, when it comes to PDF
creation, Adobe's not the only game in town.

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

The back-issues of the newsletter are coming along nicely.
I finally found a solution to my "how the heck do I take 127
issues and codify them easily?" problem. The answer?

BLOG!

I've created a newsletter "blog" at blogger.com and am
cutting-pasting in the back issues of the newsletter into
it. Date-stamped and all! You can view the temporary
location of this and watch my progress here:
http://awwnewsletter.blogspot.com

This will eventually be integrated with the new Aaronz
WebWorkz website (coming along nicely) and will be search-
able. For an example of how this will work, you can see my
other blog (warning: it's very political) here:
http://www.MilitantLibertarian.org

Speaking of politics...

As many of you have probably noticed, I have a big problem
with "government intervention" to "fix" perceived problems.
SPAM is a great example of this. The new CAN-SPAM law is
doing more to make people like myself who publish a not-for-
profit newsletter pay the price for what nefarious scammers
are doing using the 'Net's email structure.

Well, business is finally stepping in and the industry will
soon have new ways of dealing with the problem on their own
without government's "help." I'll be publishing an article
on the latest developments in this regard in next week's
issue. Stay tuned. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Welcome to the wonderful world of Cable Internet Service.
Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't but down is fast and up
is PAINFUL.

And you have to deal with Comcast - break out the
lubricants."
--Rob K.

Editor: HAHA! Thanks, Rob. Actually, so far the only
glitch has been when the cable guy who installed the modem
accidentally knocked out our cable TV with the modem
installation. I didn't notice until later that night. That
has been fixed too. I've been testing over the past week
and have found that my download speeds average over 2mb vs.
the satellite's 1.8mb average. The upload is about the same
too, I think. The biggest difference I've noticed is the
lack of latency with the cable.

"Are you the same guy who is running for state rep here in
UT?"
--Sam I.

Editor: Yep, that's me. Aaron for House District 40! My
campaign website (not done, but with a neat animation at any
rate) is: http://www.vote-aaron.org

Send donations to: Aaron Turpen, PMB 170, 869 East 4500
South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Send hate-mail, late-
payment notices, junk, etc. to my opponent Patty Jones. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
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!

------------------------------------------------------------
Uncover Your Hidden Markets
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: More great stuff from Bob!
------------------------------------------------------------

Want a simple, low-cost way to boost your sales? Just
uncover the narrowly defined sub-markets hidden in your main
market. Then create special versions of your advertising to
focus on the specific needs of prospects in these hidden
market segments.

1. How to Find Your Hidden Markets

Start by evaluating your existing customers. Look for groups
of customers with similar characteristics you do not
currently cater to in your advertising. Then create new
versions of your sales message appealing to their specific
needs. You will attract a lot more customers just like them.

For example, the owner of an accounting service marketing to
small businesses noticed that many of his new clients were
landscapers or insurance brokers. Therefore he created
separate web sites highlighting the unique benefits his
service provided to clients in each of these businesses.

The two sites looked similar, but their sales content was
customized to appeal to the specific needs of potential
clients in each market. Visitors to either site probably
assumed he specialized in working with companies in their
industry. Within 2 months he was able to increase the number
of new clients from each group by over 25 percent.

Tip: You can also narrow the appeal of an existing web site
without losing its effectiveness with your main market. Just
create customized web pages for each market segment you want
to target. Then add a link to each of these specialized
pages on your home page.

2. Adapt to Your Customers and Become a Specialist

As you work with a lot of customers and prospects in a
narrowly defined market, you gain special insight into how
they think and what they need. You will be able to
communicate with them as in "insider" using their own
special vocabulary and style.

Prospects and customers will think of you as being "one of
us" ...a specialist who caters to their unique needs. They
will want to do business with you because you understand
their special situation and know exactly what they need.

As a specialist you also eliminate much of your competition
...even if their prices are lower. Most customers will pay a
little more to buy from a specialist so they can avoid the
risk of doing business with a competitor who has little or
no understanding of their special needs.

Bonus: When you deliver results as a specialist you also
establish yourself as an expert in your field. Customers
will proudly refer other prospects to you. They appreciate
what you did for them and are confident you will deliver the
same results for others.

You can boost your sales significantly by using the two
simple, low-cost steps revealed in this article. Just (1)
identify the narrowly defined sub-markets hidden in your
main market. Then (2) become a specialist catering to the
unique needs of the customers in each of these sub-markets.

------------------------------------------------------------
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).