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 #139 July 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:
Practical Money-Saving Tips For Small Businesses
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Do You Know How to Compress Your Email Folders?
Do You Know Why You Need to?
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Practical Money-Saving Tips For Small Businesses
Copyright 2004 Diane Hughes
Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful)
Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business
Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane

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

One of the primary concerns all small businesses have is
saving money. When it's time to trim the fat, most look for
one giant expense to decrease or eliminate in order to stay
within budget. More often than not, it doesn't work that
way.

Most budgeting experts will tell you that re-evaluating
your overall expenses and cutting each by just a bit will
actually gain you more ground than doing without something
major that you really need. Here are a few ideas of areas
to look at and costs to reduce that can have a major impact
on your overall profits.

1) Internet Access - Every online business owner must have
access to the Web. But consider this. The market is so
flooded with ISPs that you have a lot of room to dicker.
Start by searching the Internet under keywords like "cheap
internet access" or "discount isp" to bring up lists of
possibilities. Then, do one of two things.

(a) Try some of these independent ISPs. Smaller companies
can have high quality service and support just like the
"big boys". One business owner I know recently switched
from Prodigy ($21.95/mth) to a smaller ISP that only
charges $12.50/mth with no contracts. She actually liked
the new provider better and it costs her about half as
much. [Savings of $113.40 per year.]

(b) Renegotiate with your existing ISP. Most larger ISPs
know you have a choice of a thousand other companies.
Because of this, they are normally more than willing to
renegotiate your costs. Be honest. Tell them you are a
small business owner and you need to cut expenses. Explain
that you've been pleased with their service but will be
forced to go with someone else if some sort of arrangement
isn't worked out. Another friend of mine did this and
received 6 months free! Most will offer 2-3 months free
and/or a discount with an annual agreement. NOTE: When you
approach your ISP, be fully prepared to switch to someone
else if your offer is rejected. [Savings of $105.80 per
year with 3 months free and reduced, annual rate.]

2) Switch From A Merchant Account To A Payment Service - If
you have a low volume of credit card transactions, it might
benefit you to switch from a merchant account to some sort
of payment service like Pay Pal or ClickBank. Statement
fees, monthly fees, discount percentages and the like can
all add up to big money.

While payment services normally have reduced fees, they do
have higher "per transaction" costs so you'll have to do
some math to find out if this is a good idea for your
business. Just take an "average" invoice amount from a sale
and multiply it times 12 to get a base total to work with.
Now, add in your 12 months worth of fees for statement,
monthly access, discount percentage, per transaction cost,
etc. This is your "example" total. Do the same with several
payment services using their costs to see which one, over
time, would be less expensive for you.

If you were paying a $15 statement fee, $20 monthly fee, 3%
+ $.35 per transaction and $25 monthly gateway fee, your
annual expenses would be $742.20 for an average transaction
of $50.00. Your annual fees for a payment service with
3.5%, $1.00 per transaction and a one-time $50.00 set up
charge would only be $83.00 per year. [Savings of $659.20
per year.]

3) Re-evaluate Your Long Distance Costs - Competition is
the small business owner's friend! With hundreds of long
distance companies out there, you can drastically reduce
your charges instantly. Again - use the 'Net to search for
inexpensive long distance service. A business owner I know
changed from a MCI "program" to one of those 10-10
companies and reduced her per minute charge from $ .07 to $
.05. Depending on the volume of calls you make, some
programs offer rates as low as $ .03 per minute. [Estimated
savings of $20-$30 per year for 1,000 minutes.]

From just these three little things, we've saved an
estimated $802.60 per year. That's enough to make anyone's
spreadsheet sing! Go through your list of costs and you
will most likely find other expenses that can easily be
reduced with a bit of research and a phone call or two.

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

Last week we held a little drawing for a copy of my latest
ebook: "The eBay PowerSeller's Book of Knowledge."

Now for the drumroll... (rolling the funky many-sided die to
find the winner)

Kim! Nice going!

Thanks to everyone who entered. If any of you wish to get
your own copy of the book, you can find it on my website
here: http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/ebaybook.shtml

Now if you'll excuse me, it's past my bedtime. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Aaron:
Just a note to thank you for the biz help and inspiration
you've given me via your newsletter. Your help has been much
appreciated in the creation of my new Wellness Club website.
Please take a look here and see what you think:
http://www.DrMyattsWellnessClub.com "
--Dr. Dana

Editor: Thanks, Dana! Nice site!

"I had a package returned to me that I mailed 3 months ago,
marked "addressee unknown". The buyer never complained, the
transaction was done through half.com. I refunded all but
the postage, and I'm beginning to wonder if with all the
fraud and ID Theft online, if someone was using bogus infor-
mation on the other end, or a stolen card, OR if some
enterprising fellow was trying to learn the personal
information (name, address, User ID) of the seller: ME!

What can I do about this? Thanks"
--Lindsay S.

Editor: Three questions you need to answer: how much of your
"personal information" could this buyer have actually
gleaned from the transaction (name/phone/email/postal
address)? Could that info be useful to that person in
perpetrating identity theft on you? Why would someone go to
the trouble of buying something, paying for it, and then
not receiving it - yet not demanding a refund either?

My guess is that this is just one of those strange things
that happens sometimes. It doesn't seem very realistic that
an ID thief would use this kind of tactic to get information
on you that is probably fairly easy to get publicly anyway.

Do a Google search on your full name, your phone number,
etc. Go to "http://www.DexOnline.com" and put in your name
and city and see what it comes up with. Try searching on
Google for your eBay seller ID...

You'd be amazed how much is already out there and easy to
find if someone is really looking for it.

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

------------------------------------------------------------
Do You Know How to Compress Your Email Folders?
Do You Know Why You Need to?
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
http://www.Home-Business.com
Stone Evans owns the Home Business Resource Directory where
you can find everything you`ll ever need to start, run and grow
a home based business at: http://www.Home-Business.com

Editor's Comments: Nice info!
------------------------------------------------------------

Learning how to get the most organization from your email
software is very likely the most important skill you can
learn to conduct a successful online home business.

There are three primary email applications on the market
that folks use to manage their incoming POP3 email. Those
three are:
· Microsoft Outlook Express
· Eudora
· Netscape Mail

In order to get the most from your email software, there are
three key processes that you should learn. These processes
are concerned with data organization, saving time and email
database management.

SET UP EMAIL FOLDERS
Organization is key to any emails that you intend to save.
Having 2000 emails in one folder is a sure-fire road map to
confusion and lost communications and information.

You are the best judge as to how to organize your email into
topics that provide an easy method of retrieval of the
information when you need it most.

Fortunately, the primary email browsers make it easy to
organize your information. By allowing you to create folders
within your email software, you can file specific emails
into folders dedicated to the topic of the email.

To create new folders:

OUTLOOK EXPRESS: 1. Click File - Folders - New ---
alternatively, you may also right click an item in the Folder
window --- and then type in the name of your new folder.
Highlight the folder above where you would like your new
folder to be placed, and then click OK.

EUDORA: Click on Mailbox - New --- or right click on Eudora
in the folders window and then click on New. When the window
opens, type in the name of your new mailbox and click OK. If
you want to create a folder to place other mailboxes into,
click the checkbox before clicking OK.

NETSCAPE MAIL: Click File - New Folder. Then from the drop-
down menu, select the folder that you wish to be the folder
directly above your new folder, before clicking OK.

FILTERING EMAIL
Email filters are a tool to help you save time and
frustration. Have you ever lost an incoming email under the
deluge of email coming into your mailbox? With filters, you
can direct the important email or not-so-important email
into certain pre-ordained folders.

As part of the war against spam, most ISP's use filters every
day in an attempt to keep the spam out of your mailbox. In
fact, I even use filters to sort my incoming mail trying to
catch the spam my ISP missed.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you need some special software
to filter your email. Setting up filters is actually quite
easy.

To setup email filters:

OUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Tools - Message Rules - Mail. A
wizard will open to help you create your new email filters.
Just follow the instructions provided to direct mail based
on certain criteria into certain folders.

EUDORA: Click on Special - Make Filter. Once again, just
follow the instructions in the Filter wizard.

NETSCAPE MAIL: Click on Edit - Mail Filters. Then click on
New in the wizard. Once you click on New, you will be taken
to a new wizard window. Follow the instructions here, then
when you are done, click on OK. This will return you to the
first window where you will set up the sorting order of your
filter.

CLEANING AND COMPRESSING YOUR MAIL DATA
This is an important part of your email management. When you
no longer need an email, it should be deleted. When you
first delete an email, your software will send the email to
the Trash Bin. Your email is not actually deleted until you
first empty your trash bin.

Emptying your trash bin compresses the mailboxes from where
the email was originally filed. This is absolutely paramount
to the protection of your email data. If you go too long
between compressing your email data, then your email data
could become corrupted and you might need assistance in
recovering your email data.

Even after you have emptied your trash, Compressing Folders
is a recommended step to prevent other data corruption. Once
you understand that an email does not actually move from one
folder to another until the folder is compressed, then you
can better appreciate this advice.

As an example, when Email A comes into your main Inbox, the
data connected to Email A appears in two files. One file
contains the header and body of the email. The other file
contains only the email header information.

When an email is moved from one folder to the other, only
the header information is actually moved. The body
information will not be deleted from the original folder
until which time the original folder is compressed.

This explains the purpose of emptying the trash AND
compressing folders. If the email was simply moved from the
Inbox to another folder, then emptying the trash is not
enough. The original placement of the email is not actually
removed from the file that contains the body information
until the message has been designated for compression.

To empty your trash:

OUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Edit - Empty 'Deleted Items'
Folder. To compress the remaining folders, click on Tools -
Options, then click on the tab for Maintenance. Then click
the button that says, "Clean Up Now". Once the compression
is completed, click OK.

EUDORA: Click Special - Empty Trash. To compress the
remaining items that need compression, then click on Special
- Compact Mailboxes.

NETSCAPE MAIL: Click on File - Empty Trash Folder. To
compress the mailboxes, click on File - Compress Folders.


I cannot stress enough how important it is that you utilize
the tools for emptying the trash and compressing the mail
folders. Protecting your email data on a regular basis is
good practice for avoiding disaster in your mailbox.

So many of us rely upon our email software to keep our
online business running smoothly. Once you master the tools
provided in your email software, your online business will
run smoothly also.

Let me share one important lesson I l've learned about
computer software. One should never be afraid to try new
things. Learning how to get the most out of your software
relies upon your willingness to dig in and learn how to
use it.

Once you learn how to use your software to its full
potential, then your life will be greatly simplified and
your effectiveness will be dramatically improved.

------------------------------------------------------------
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]

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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 #138 July 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:
Losing Your Biggest Client
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Five Steps to An Effective Business Plan
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Losing Your Biggest Client
by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., author, speaker and consultant,
works with midlife professionals who want to rebuild,
renovate and revitalize their careers.
"Don't beg your customers to go away"
http://www.cathygoodwin.com/custsvc.html
"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change."
http://www.cathygoodwin.com/subscribe.html
Website: http://www.cathygoodwin.com
Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294

Editor's Comments: Good info here for businesses hitting
hard times.
------------------------------------------------------------

Q: I was moving to my dream with my own business when --
wham! I lost my largest customer. I'm hurting, both
emotionally and financially. What now?

A. Every dream includes a certain amount of nightmare. If
entrepreneurship is your dream, you have to remind yourself,
"I'm free! I want this!" as you write a check for taxes or
health insurance or deal with slumps and hassles.

By way of analogy, think about life as a homeowner. As you
write a big check to the electrician, and wonder why it's
easier to find a cardiologist than a handyman, you keep
telling yourself, "But I own this place! This is my dream."

While many resources exist to help us move to a dream, we
tend to expect a "happily ever after" after we reach our
destination. Dreaming of a business leads toŠa business!
Experienced business owners warn, "Keep marketing all the
time -- even when you have all the business you need. It
could go away."

We can take a lesson from commissioned salespeople. Several
years ago I conducted research on the way salespeople handle
loss of a major account. Revenues from a single customer
might yield as much as a third of the salesperson's income.
Or a salesperson might have spent several months pursuing a
new account that went to a competitor.

We interviewed many successful, experienced salespeople, who
worked in a big ticket, big commission environment. Whether
they had sold to an account for several years, or spent many
months putting a proposal together, they often came to view
customers as friends. And when they lost a sale or an
account, they were hurt emotionally as well as financially.

Successful sales reps deal with sales loss by "getting back
on the horse." As one woman said, "It's like if you're
dumped by a boyfriend, get a date with a terrific guy."

In business, if you're hitting a slump, you need a new
customer! Step up your marketing. Make calls, arrange
speaking engagements, write, work on your website, and
intensify your networking activity. And, I would add, take
time to have fun every day.

You are still moving in the direction of your dream. You
may have to adjust your road map -- and if you've never
drawn one, thank your departing customer for a wake-up call.
Next time you'll be ready and you'll have a plan that
includes ongoing marketing and a diversified customer base.

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

Another week has already gone by! Wow, time is flying.

My wife went to Oregon last weekend to attend a family
reunion, so it was just me, the dog, and the cats at home.
We watched movies she hates, ate out every night (fast food)
and generally lived it up. :) We were glad when she got
back.

I was thinking the other day about this newsletter and
thought it would be fun to include some anecdotes from
others who have online businesses. So if any of you would
like to talk about your online business, please send me
anecdotes about your operations, clientelle, and
experiences. Try not to be too "salesy" or wordy with it,
please. :) 1200 words or less is about right.

On another note, my new ebook, "The eBay PowerSeller's Book
of Knowledge" is still available on the website:
http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com

Would you like to win a FREE copy?? We're holding a random
drawing (buried here in these comments to weed out the
unfaithful - lol) right now! Respond to this email to enter
and one lucky winner will receive a copy of the ebook by
email FREE this week! Hurry, entries must be received by
noon (MST) on Thursday, July 29!

See you all next week.

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Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
Editor: This is the first time in a very long time we've had
not reader talk back. Maybe I'm not being controversial
enough...

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

------------------------------------------------------------
Five Steps to An Effective Business Plan
by Vishal P. Rao is the editor of Home Based Business
Opportunities - A website dedicated to opportunities, ideas
and resources for starting a home based business. Visit him
at: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com

Editor's Comments: Trust me, a business plan is all-
important if you're going to run anything successful!
------------------------------------------------------------

You have an idea for a business. You know what you want to
sell, who you can sell it to, and how much you stand to earn
from it. There's just one more thing you need: a business
plan.

Many people dread the idea of preparing a business plan.
They think of them as complicated, unnecessary documents
that exist only to make it more difficult for them to get
started as an entrepreneur. They are wrong.

Business plans are necessary because they help you “see”
your business. Instead of just talking in abstract ways
about your “customer base” and your “profit potential,” it
lets you put those things in writing and in concrete terms.
It forces you to think through every aspect of your business
in advance so down the road you don't realize you've made a
mistake that's cost you your business, your life's savings,
and your job.

Besides all of that, they are also important tools for
getting other people interested in your business. For one,
if you've taken the time to create a business plan, others
will realize that you are serious about this endeavor and
that it isn't just some pie-in-the-sky dream. A business
plan also shows people that you are a professional and that
you understand what it takes to start and manage a business.
This is all extremely important, particularly if you need
any type of outside funding, such as loans or investors.

So while the bad news may be that you definitely do need a
business plan, the good news is that they don't have to be
complicated. The truth is that your plan only needs to cover
seven main areas and none of these areas are going to
require you to write a full-length novel. These five
sections are the executive summary, the company overview,
the business environment, the company description, and the
action plan. All of those sections may sound complex, but
most of them won't involve information that you don't
already know.

Executive Summary

Even though this section will technically be first in your
business plan, you should actually write it last because,
just as its name implies, it summarizes the entire contents
of your business plan. Because many readers never bother to
get beyond the executive summary, you must make sure that it
is comprehensive and well-written.

If that sounds difficult, it isn't. Just make sure to read
through your entire business plan before you start writing
the executive summary. Make a list of information that you
think is the most important or that would really stand out
to a reader, and be sure to include all of it in your
summary.

Company Overview

This section explains the guiding force behind your
business. It gives them a chance to see what you have in
mind for the business and how you plan to get there.
Generally, the overview does this by providing a mission
statement, goals, and objectives for your business.

In a nutshell, a mission statement provides the answers to
all of these questions in less than 50 words: What am I
selling? Who am I selling it to? Why am I selling it? It
doesn't need to be just one sentence, but keep it as brief
as possible.

Goals and objectives, the other components of the company
overview, are often confused by first time business plan
writers. Remember that goals are things your company wants
to achieve while your objectives are how they plan to get
there.

Business Environment

This section will probably require you to do some outside
research because it involves information relating to your
industry, your market, and your competition. You need to
take an honest look at the field you are preparing to enter
and pay close attention to its structure, its trends, and
its barriers to new businesses. Become familiar with the
major competitors in your industry and decide how you will
differentiate yourself from them. Also, get to know your
potential customers and what makes them tick. The more you
know about them, the more likely you will be to turn them
into buyers.

Company Description

At this point in your business plan, you need to go into
detail about your business. You can't simply define your
company in terms of what you sell, but also in terms of who
you serve, what resources you will use, what types of
employees you are looking for, what type of distribution
method you'll utilize, and more. All of this factors combine
to create your company.

In addition to this, you should also state your company's
UPS (Unique Positioning Statement). This is a one sentence
statement that explains what sets you apart from all of the
competitors.

Action Plan

The last part of your business plan is this section which
outlines the steps you need to take now in order to make
your plan work. These should also reflect the goals and
objectives that you've outlined in your company overview.

Besides these primary pieces of a business plan, you may
also need to include a financial section, particularly if
you plan on using it to get outside funding for your
business. This may take more thought and planning than the
other sections because it will require you to make some
assumptions about your business's revenue potential. The
most important thing is to base any estimates on realistic
expectations, not optimistic dreams.

You may want to visit the following websites for some
samples to give you an idea of how things should be
formatted and worded:

http://www.businessplans.org/businessplans.html
http://www.bplans.com/sp/

With some useful models and this helpful information, you'll
be well on your way to completing your effective and
professional business plan.

------------------------------------------------------------
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 #137 July 16, 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:
Five Things Most Search Engine Optimization Firms
Won’t Tell You -- But That You Need to Know Before
You Spend a Dime
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Book Yourself Solid
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Five Things Most Search Engine Optimization Firms Won’t Tell
You -- But That You Need to Know Before You Spend a Dime
Copyright © 2004, Brad Fallon
Brad Fallon is president of SEO Research, LLC
(http://www.seoresearch.com) and the host of Search
Engine Radio, a weekly talk radio show devoted to
Search Marketing. He is the author of "Creating
Customers Out of Thin Air: Secrets of Online Marketing
for Offline Businesses." A seasoned web marketer and
SEO consultant, Brad helps clients in a broad range of
industries increase their rankings and profits. For
his free report, "10 Tips to Get Your Site Ranked #1 in
Google" go to http://www.instantseoexpert.com

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

So, you want your Web site to rank high on Google and
other search engines.

To do that, you’re planning on hiring a search engine
optimization (SEO) firm. Good move -- maybe. A good SEO
firm can help make your rankings and sales skyrocket.
That’s the good news. The bad news is there are a
lot of SEO firms out there that will charge you big
bucks without delivering results. As someone in the SEO
business myself, I’ve heard countless horror stories
about people who have gotten ripped off by paying for
services they didn’t need, or simply not understanding
what their SEO firm is supposed to be doing on their
behalf.

Below are some of the things most SEO firms will never
tell you. Knowing these insider secrets can save you
thousands of dollars and many hours of frustration.

1. Most SEO work follows the 80/20 rule. In other
words, 20% of the work will account for 80% of the
results. If that’s true (and believe me, from personal
experience I know that it is), you should make sure
that the fee structure reflects this. Ask for an
itemized quote, so you can make sure that you aren’t
paying too much for the other 80%. For example, a lot
of SEO experts will tell you they’re going to spend X
number of hours tweaking your site’s keywords and meta
tags, but there’s really no hard evidence that those
techniques have a significant impact on your rankings.
Doing simple things like making sure your page
structure is "search engine friendly" (ensuring all
your pages can be indexed by search engines) is
infinitely more important. As part of a comprehensive
SEO strategy, you still want to do the other 80%, but
you want to make sure that the bulk of the priority
(and cost) is focused the effort that will produce the
most results.

2. You can receive a guarantee. Most big SEO firms say
to watch out for anyone who guarantees results. They’ll
tell you most places that do so are nothing but
scam artists. Here’s the truth: I can absolutely
guarantee any business I can get you ranked in the top
10 on Google for any keyword you choose. It all depends
on how much money you’re willing to spend and how long
you’re willing to wait for the results. If an SEO firm
is confident in their ability to improve your rankings,
why wouldn’t they offer you a guarantee?

3. You can see immediate results. Most SEO firms will
try to tell you it takes months to see tangible
results. Wrong. In fact, it’s often possible to see
results within a week, depending on the keywords you’re
targeting. I know because I’ve accomplished this for my
clients time and time again. Unless you’re going after
extremely competitive keywords, if the SEO firm bidding
for your business says it will take three months to
accomplish anything, they’re probably just looking to
sign you up for a lucrative long-term retainer.

4. SEO work is not too complicated to explain in
detail. Too many SEO experts will balk if you ask them
to explain in detail the work they’re going to do for
you. But don’t let them off the hook. While some
strategies may indeed be technical, most of the
techniques are easily explained -- especially some of
the most important ones (see point #1 above about the
80/20 rule). If you’re going to pay someone a lot of
money to work for you, you deserve and explanation of
exactly what they’re going to do.

5. The greatest factor in SEO has nothing to do with
your web site. In my research, I’ve found that around
80% of the Google ranking factors have nothing to do
with the web site itself. The real determining factors
are links to your site from other web sites. As long as
your site is easily crawled by Google, most of the
energy should be focused on getting these outside
links. If an SEO firm tries to sell you an expensive
package to simply "optimize" your site for Google, it’s
probably going to cost you a lot of money for very
little result.

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

Ugh, this has been a long week! Nothing specific made it
seem long, it just was. I'm glad it's over and the weekend
is finally here!

I completed several short projects since last week,
including a website content re-write, some site updates and
changes for various websites, and so forth.

Several people have now asked me about resell rights for my
ebooks. If you're interested in gaining resell rights for
my ebooks, let me know!

Addendum: DOH! I put this together last night and then
totally spaced off plugging it into the system to send
overnight. Woops. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"I liked your site and I have just subscribed to your news-
letter today. So this message is to tell some words of
respect for your site and just a bit of curiosity on how
late you could actually be with your article on shareware in
2004. These ideas have been out there for ages :-) And even
bigger software houses were giving the demos of their major
products for a long time. I remember downloading Macromedia
Flash 4.0 as a trial version about 4 years ago. So what
radically new is there today for that kind of article. But
then again, I don't criticize much the content, rather
curious... I don't know what there was in your previous
issues (though I'm eager to find it out :-), may be you have
been talking on these issues before.

As for Internet Explorer, I share the point of view of those
security experts, who believes that there are no more actual
security vulnerabilities there then in other browsers. The
problem with it is that it attracts hackers proportionally
to its usage share, which is about 50 times bigger then the
alternatives. That's why hackers mostly search for bugs in
IE. Note, that the other browsers also have bugs, the recent
example is here:
http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=250180
-- just two days ago, a bug in Mozilla browser, which makes
it possible to access the local file system and execute any
code there. The same you can find with opera -- its site if
also full of bug reports and security issues, so there's no
point to sacrifice the standards to get the same problems
(or more) eventually."
--Ivan T.

Editor: Hi, Ivan. Wordy letter! :) I included that
article on shareware last week (I didn't write it) because
there are many newbie members who may not be aware that
software other than that at the store is available.

As for IE and what you're saying, I don't remember anything
saying that IE is more vulnerable to attack, only that it is
more prone to it, as you suggest. All software has problems
and vulnerabilities: no matter what it is or how "tried and
true" it seems. Nothing is perfect.

To me, the fact that it is a bigger target, more often
targeted, etc. is reason enough to seek alternatives to IE.
Doing so takes a lot of the worry off for me, since I have
less to be concerned about as most hackers are not targeting
me.

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

------------------------------------------------------------
Book Yourself Solid
by Michael Port, Www.Michaelport.Com
To learn more about booking yourself solid and getting more
clients than you can handle even if you hate marketing and
selling -- go to http://www.MichaelPort.com .

------------------------------------------------------------
The 7 Keys To Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even
If You Hate Marketing And Selling

Clients often ask me how I built a six figure income working
as an independent professional in less than 10 months. I
narrowed it down to 7 simple steps. Seven simple internal
and intuitive attitude shifts--and the exact action items
that will kick your business up a notch.

These effective and powerful steps won't come as any mystery
to you, but if you take them to heart, they will absolutely
and emphatically build your business naturally and
authentically.

My advice to you (from someone who has struggled and been
exactly where you are now) is to love, embrace and believe
in yourself. Because I know how easy and realistic it is for
you to become a successful solo professional.

Combine these simple insights with the gifts you have within
yourself to create an abundant, joyful and prosperous
business and life.

SEVEN KEYS TO BOOKING YOURSELF SOLID

Key 1: Focus On Solutions no matter what you say, think or
do. Take the attention off of yourself, your business and
your services. Every second of every day stay focused on
clear, specific and detailed solutions, benefits and
advantages that appeal to your prospects.

Clearly define the root of your prospects' problems and
needs. Then only focus on those solutions. There does seem
to be some universal confusion on the definition of a
solution these days--or a slip of the mind, perhaps?
Solutions are not technical, scientific, mechanical or
procedural. They are simple ideas¡K profound, deep and
impactful.

If someone wants to lose weight, solutions are not:
* Dietary guidelines
* Exercises
* Nutritional supplements

The core need of losing weight is much deeper. They really
want to:
* Feel more self confident
* Feel incredibly attractive
* Attract their perfect mate

Now you're talking their language. The more benefits you
uncover, the quicker you will start to attract new clients.
People buy good feelings, news ways of thinking and
solutions to their problems.

Key 2: Seek Out Ideal Clients for maximum joy, prosperity
and abundance. Think about the human you are when you are
performing optimally at your peak--when you are with all the
people who inspire and energize you.

Make a long list of the characteristics these people have
because they are your ideal clients. (p.s. clients and
friends are interchangeable expressions)

I used to work with anyone who had a pulse and a checkbook.
Living the red velvet rope policy of ideal clients increases
my productivity, happiness, and more clients than I can
handle are being referred to me. I know it's hard to
believe, but it's true! Clients are like family to me. Don't
get me wrong, I lived through a period of intense and
painful negative energy worrying about those challenging
client relationships. It exhausted me and took me away
from accomplishing the highest good for my clients. It was
impossible for me to be productive, effective or successful
in this environment.

Now with your list of inspiring people, I give you
permission to release any dead wood in your calendar. If it
feels scary, trust the next five steps to energetically fill
those spaces.

Key 3: Embrace Your Authentic Self and toss out the
societally accepted version of you. Yes! I'm serious. No one
likes the IBM stiff blue suit that follows every rule. We're
attracted to that perky, authentic confident soul who says
it like it is and filters nothing!

Think about how radiant and attractive you are when you are
with your best friends. You are spontaneous, free and
genuine because of the trust within these close relationships.

Our real liberated, confident empowered self is the true
self that only a select few inner circle friends are exposed
to. Let me tell you. if you let your quirky, silly side
shine, you'll experience far greater self-assurance and an
immediate client attraction. Sound easy? It is! Works every
time like a charm. Test it for yourself.

Key 4: Branding is not just for Superbowl advertisers. If
you haven't identified your natural skill, talent, interest
or expertise--or if you're not clearly and consistently
expressing and defining yourself-chances are your clients
can't either.

Most people are afraid of niches or specifity because they
think it may limit their success or potential. That couldn't
be farther from the truth.

Ambiguity and uncertainty translates into insecurity.
Personal branding is uniquely you. Own it, love it, express
it!

(oh, and by the way, once you've mastered your niche, then
you get to expand and do anything else you want!!!)

Key 5: Articulating What You Do is the key that connects
your vibrant, branded and authentic self to the world. Most
people are afraid to express themselves in a clear and
powerful way.

Speak boldly, clearly and with purpose. This is the fastest
way to eliminate suspicion, guesswork or speculation.
Prospects want to know the exact benefits they will
experience and action they should take. Articulate this
you'll have paved the way for a win.

Remember you won't appeal to everyone. And, that's the
beautiful thing!!! What you will do is powerfully impact
your ideal clients in a compelling way every time you cl
early communicate the vibrant you.

Key 6: The Simple Selling Process is a cinch once you
embrace Key 1 (solutions baby!). If you remember this,
you'll never have to sell again.

When you think in terms of solutions and problems
solved, clients will beg to work with you. You are a
consultant--a lifelong advisor. When you have fundamental
solutions to help others, it's your moral imperative to
show and tell as many people as possible. You are changing
lives!

Inquire:
* What is your goal?
Show:
* What the benefits will be when they reach their goal
Ask:
* Would you like a partner to help you with that?

Gain a commitment. Ask yourself, would this person¡¦s life
be fuller, happier and better-off with me in it? Now, let
your light shine and give an action plan.

Key 7: Self Promotion Is Easy And Fun The internet and
modern technology is a beautiful thing, but too many people
get caught up in their "web site." Don't waste one more
second on any marketing that is ineffective, inefficient or
that you just can't measure.

Master the tried and true techniques that will book you
instantly, Network, mastermind and get synergistic
relationships working for you. There's nothing less
effective than a solo pro and a single mind. Colloborate for
the benefit of all!

If this seems to vague, open the phone book, look up
professionals with similar clients and prospective
audiences, make one phone call today and introduce yourself
and the benefits of your services. Now make one five minute
phone call every day. If you're not comfortable calling a
stranger, talk to every friend, family member and colleague
you know and ask for names of professionals in the fields
you are seeking. Soon you'll have a growing list of warm
names to call.

The second easiest way to book yourself solid is to use
client referrals. First, ask every client how happy they are
with your services. If the answer is positive, then ask who
else they know in a similar situation that could benefit
from... (list those benefits!). If they aren't satisfied,
you just bought yourself a second chance. Consider yourself
lucky.

Time prevailing there are so many more ways to Book Yourself
Solid, we could go on for weeks and weeks on end. My
recommendation, start with the basics here and write me at
Michael@michaelport.com with additional questions, concerns,
clarifications, epiphanies or revelations you have.

Remember you have the ultimate solutions to build an
abundant business. Express the brilliance of you and let out
the silly one too. Anything less is criminal.

So let's get down to it and book yourself solid!

------------------------------------------------------------
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 #136 July 09, 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:
Benefits to Shareware
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
And You Thought Google Was Just a Search Engine
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits to Shareware
By S. 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 , and
http://www.small-business-software.net

Editor's Comments: I've been a user of shareware for many
years and highly recommend many programs not available in
Office Max or other retail stores.
------------------------------------------------------------

Shareware has been fighting the stigma of being
misunderstood for decades. While corporate software giants
can no longer ignore the marketing potential of a trial
version, small software startups are struggling with new
listings and bandwidth costs. Businesses and individual
consumers need to take a closer look at the benefits of
taking advantage of shareware marketing. The concept of a
trial version is not a new one. Consumer expectations, and
the need for immediate satisfaction have spurned the
industry to realize the need for instant software. The
availability of file downloads in the Internet era, is
spurning a revolution of purchasers who never leaving their
homes or offices. As a result, the Internet has taken the
proliferation of shareware to a new level.

Why the Success?
Why developers have succeeded using shareware marketing
under poor global economic conditions is fairly obvious.
Shareware allows consumers to evaluate an application prior
to making a purchase decision. There are no risks to the
consumer, if the trial version does not satisfy a purchasers
needs, they do not spend the money registering. Evaluating
the software prior to purchasing also increases consumer
satisfaction as they gain a complete understanding of the
software they are ordering and there is little room for
surprises. Trying the software before buying is no longer a
novelty it is a consumer expectation.

Traditionally, because the barrier to entry is fairly low,
companies participating in shareware marketing are usually
small and willing to provide personalized service uncommon
in large companies. Customers often speak directly with
developers requesting feature enhancements, thus improving
the software for all. Software support forums with users
helping other users have become commonplace. These allow
developers to focus on future upgrades, while repetitive
user issues can be quickly dealt with. Software developers,
who market via the shareware method, have revolutionized
traditional support models.

Many of the shareware directories provide ratings and user
assessments. Often the user reviews provide insight to
important feature sets. Allowing consumers an opportunity to
assess and compare multiple products prior to making a
decision.

Let us not forget the delivery advantage the shareware model
has over the traditional retail counterpart. Shareware
allows for instant gratification, there is no need to wait
for a shipment because consumers can download and use the
software immediately.

What does this all mean?
Marketing via the shareware method is far less expensive
than traditional advertising, the increased customer
demands, personalized service and instant satisfaction all
provide an added consumer benefits. With Shareware, software
developers, have a great method for consumers to evaluate
and purchase their software. Consumers can easily determine
if the software is suitable. Ultimately, by allowing the
software to sell itself, consumers often obtain top quality
software that is priced far less than traditional retail
applications.

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

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend. Many
things have been happening lately.

eBay held it's annual conference "eBay Live!" at the end of
the month. A friend of mine went and told me about his
experiences there. It was held in New Orleans this year and
had a great turnout. I guess the vendors and PowerSellers
were abundant and the freebies were everywhere.

I wish I had gone. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser has long been
known to be a security hazard, but now it's official. See
http://www.theregister.com/2004/06/28/cert_ditch_explorer/ "
--Warren K. ( http://www.vandamussenate.com )

Editor: Thanks, Warren! Great info!

"Thanks for the ebook! Great stuff!"
--Anne L.

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

------------------------------------------------------------
And You Thought Google Was Just a Search Engine
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 one from Merle. As you all
know, I use and highly recommend her EzineAdAuction site!
------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone loves Google for searching online, but did you know
they also offer other tools for your Web based enjoyment?
Google's technicians are a very talented group and they're
constantly at work developing new and fun services. You'll
find a complete list at http://www.Google.com/options/


Let's take a look at the many faces of Google:

1) Google Free: http://www.google.com/services/free.html

A free search engine for your website. Allow visitors to
search your site or the Web. If you select the "safe search"
option, adult themed web pages will be excluded from any Web
search results that are shown.

2) Google Groups: http://groups-beta.google.com/

Allows you to create, join and even search other mailing
lists. Create your own newsletter/ezine at no charge.

3) Google Answers: http://answers.google.com/answers/

More than 500 hand-picked researchers, willing to answer
any question you may have for a fee. Prices start as low as
$2.50 and go up from there. If you're trying to do some
research for a project and are running short on time, this
could come in very handy.

4) Google Catalogs: http://catalogs.google.com

Search and browse mail-order catalogs online. Hundreds of
catalogs on a variety of topics, from Apparel to Computers.
View full contents of each catalog right online.

5) Froogle: http://froogle.google.com

A shopping service that makes it easy to find information
about thousands of products for sale on the Net. Find the
best price and the best place to purchase.

6) Google Image Search: http://images.google.com

Search over 880 million images. Search results are displayed
as thumbnails. By clicking on them individually you can view
the graphic at full size.

7) Local Search: http://local.google.com

Maybe you don't want to search the world; you need to find
things in your own backyard. Use local search to find
businesses and services close by.

8) Google News: http://news.google.com

If you like your daily dose of World News and the top
headlines, you can browse over 4,500 news sources here.
Continually updated.

9) Google Deskbar/Toolbar: http://toolbar.google.com

This downloadable toolbar allows you to conduct searches at
Google from any website. Includes a pop up stopper and the
ability to post to your Blogger account (if you have one).

If you prefer to search from your desktop, download their
"Deskbar" and search without even launching your browser.
http://toolbar.google.com/deskbar/index.html

10) University Search:
http://www.google.com/options/universities.html

Looking for information on a specific school? Google's
University Search serves up admission information, Alumni
News and even course schedules.

11) Google Wireless:
http://www.google.com/options/wireless.html

If you thought you had to leave Google at home when you're
on the move you can now conduct searches via your wireless
phone. See the site for specific directions for searching
from your device.

12) Language Tools: http://www.google.com/language_tools

The Internet serves a global audience and English is not
everyone's first language. With Language Tools you can
translate blocks of text or an entire Web page by typing
in the URL.

13) Google Web Alerts/News Alerts:
http://google.com/newsalerts
http://google.com/webalerts

Great for monitoring a certain topic or even your
competition. Type in a search word or phrase and select how
often you wish to be notified. You'll receive an email when
updated news on your subject appears online.

14) Blogger: http://www.Blogger.com

Not located at Google but owned by them, Blogger is a free
service for creating your own Blogs. Communicate with the
world on your own terms. If you use Blogger and download
Google's Toolbar, you can easily post to your Blog while
surfing the Web. This is a very handy feature. They've also
added the ability to add photos to your Blog and audio
messages. Check out http://www.audioblogger.com/

Have you ever heard of "Google Labs"? It's basically a
testing playground for the technicians who work at Google.
New ideas for tools are placed there for the public to use
and give feedback on. This area is considered the
"experimental phase" and not all demos are guaranteed to
make it out of the lab "alive." It's a very cool place to
experiment with new tools. You'll find it at
http://labs.google.com

As you can see, Google is far more then just a search
engine. Their many tools and services can help you in your
Web based travels to be more informed and efficient.
Google's runaway success stems from the fact that they have
always listened to and served the public. You can see this
in the creativity they bring to everything they do.

Next time you need to perform a specific task online,
remember Google contains a full array of handy gadgets and
they may have just what you're looking for!

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