Subject: Get Serious or Get Off the Net!
From: InternetDay-UP <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 May 1999 9:54:43

---
To unsubscribe send an email to

www.internetday.net

May 07,
1999

Increase
your Traffic Now with...

Click Here

The "UP" Hot

Links Index!

The
resources you need to
effectively promote your online business
today:

"UP"
Index
--------------------
WEB PROMOTION
Ultimate
Promotion
Get Listed
Link-O-Matic
GoTo.com
AWeber Systems
AdPush
Adult Webmasters
Associate-It
Lead Spinner
Postmaster
Direct
The Promotion
Store
--------------------
E-COMMERCE
Webstore
Generator's
Commission
Junction
CommercePay.com
i-Check
--------------------
PROMO SOFTWARE
WebPosition
AdPlan
Post Agent
Online Classified
Club
AffiliateZone.com
--------------------
ADVERTISING
Marketingtips.com
WebCards
Internet
Marketing
URL Plates
Marketing
Challenge

.

WEBSITE PROMOTION

Ultimate Promotion

Increase Your Traffic Now!

Get Listed Now

FREE
Traffic With The Net1

Link-O-Matic

For
Instant Hits!

GoTo.com

Get Targeted
Traffic

AWeber
Systems

Capture Hidden Profits!

ADPUSH

Track Your Sponsers

Adult
Webmasters

Needed Resources

Associate-It

Associate Program Search Engine

Lead
Spinner

Develop New Sales

PostMaster Direct

100% Opt-in, Targeted Email Lists

The Promotion Store

Promotion Tools and Strategies

E-COMMERCE

WebStore
Generator's

Delux Internet Store

Commission
Junction

Capture Hidden Profits

CommercePay.com

Accept Credit Cards Now!

i-Check

Internet Check Processor

PROMOTION SOFTWARE

WebPosition

Analyze Your Position

AdPlan

Promoting Your Business

Post
Agent

Post Your Message

Online
Classified Club

Ad Broadcaster

AffiliateZone.com

Affiliate Tracking

OFF-LINE ADVERTISING

The
Insider Secrets To

Internet Marketing

Home Study Course

WebCards

Announce and Promote

Insider
Internet Marketing

#1 Sellng Book

PrimeLinx
URL Plates

Web Site Traffic

Internet
Marketing Challenge

Conquer The Net

INTERNETDAY DIRECT

Join
our

InternetDay
Newsletter

It's FREE!

Your Name

Your Email

subscribe

unsubscribe

Get your
very own html

(web page) newsletter

delivered directly to your

customers'  and leads'

email box Now!

Generate more sales,

maintain communication

with your subscriber base,

and sell advertising space...

all on full auto-pilot!

It's easy! "Click Here"

for complete details!

Copyright 1999 by

Advanced Marketing Corporation

121 Hawkins Place

Suite 312

Boonton, NJ  07005

(888) TheNet1 (843-6381)

advancedmarketingcorp.com

Search The Net1 Online
Directory

• Add URL
• Edit
URL   • Advertise

My company has reviewed thousands of websites. It is often a
distressing job, for we see the same errors repeatedly. This article
speaks to the most common error we encounter - folks dabbling with a
retail site. My advice: get serious, or get off the net.

There are millions of retail web sites. Only the very best will
thrive. Here are four basic rules. Follow them to give yourself a
chance. Ignore them and forget about it.

Sign Up Today For Free Web Site Monitoring!

NetWhistle.com blows the whistle before your
customers do!
Now you can ensure that your web site is up
24/7/365 by
simply typing in your URL at http://www.netwhistle.com

Sign
up today for our FREE monitoring service before you
lose more customers and money. Don't
blow it!

1) Microfocus

If you already have a retail store, by all means add the net to your
business. Build a small site, spend a little on promotion, and
augment your revenues with any extra business that comes your way.
But if you expect the net to provide all your retail income, you had
better pick your business very carefully.

You can find millions of books at Amazon.com, but what if you want a
book on pediatric podiatry? There are thousands of gourmet food
stores on the net, but I'll bet there are none that offer 400 unique
curry powders. The big retail categories are going to be dominated by
the big players. So the little guy has only one chance; he must
microfocus. He must pick a narrow vertical market and dominate it
with unique offerings and personal service. Don't waste your time
confronting the big guy. Give their customers an attractive
alternative.

2) Build a Serious Site

Although the dangers of doing business on the net are overblown, it
nevertheless worries your potential customers. They worry that you
will cheat them or provide an inferior product. The best way to
assuage their concern is to look and act like a pro.

You look like a pro by looking like a pro. Your site must have a
professional layout, tell a clear story, be easy to use, and run
quickly. Don't create your own site and don't buy a cheap site. You
build trust by showing a serious commitment to your business, and your
site is the most visible manifestation of this commitment. Build a
site you are proud to put your name on. (See
http://www.internetday.com/archives/031199.html
for twelve rules of
good site design).

3) Support Your Site Seriously

You also build trust by acting like a pro. Provide energetic and
enthusiastic service to your customers. Send orders out quickly.
Personally answer every email that comes your way. Provide an 800
number and respond quickly. Build a mailing list and stay in touch.
Honor your guarantees with enthusiasm and good humor. Use great
service to build loyalty - for a business is not built on customers,
it is built on return customers.

4) Promote Your Site Seriously

Some of your customers will come looking for you - so you have to be
well placed in the search engines. But most of your potential
customers haven't even thought of buying your rare Red Bengal Curry.
So you've got to tell them about it. Write articles and advertise in
the magazines they read, advertise on the net sites they frequent, and
use affiliate sites to spread the word. Figure out where to find your
customers, then spend money to get their attention. (See
http://intday.internet.com/archives/121598.html
for more information
on promotion).

If the net is a hobby for you, fine, have some fun. But for the rest
of you, those who really want to make money, do it right. Select the
right kind of business, create a great site, support it vigorously,
then promote it actively. It is easy to dabble in Internet retail,
but it is very hard to win - so get serious.

Article by Bruce Lawrence, proprietor of theNETrep.

Bruce Lawrence is a 20 year high tech marketing pro. Bruce heads
theNETrep, a website design firm which overhauls websites over the
net. TheNETrep will critique your site for free if it is a serious
business site, you own your own URL, and you visit theNETrep site at
http://www.thenetrep.com to request
the critique. You can email Bruce
at [email-masked]

Talk Back To The Editor

NOTE: Click here to
submit an article to InternetDay! InternetDay is now delivered
to more than 150,000
subscribers daily. Thanks!

CLASSIFIEDS

Hard to find qualified
people? They're reading InternetDay! Reach them cost
effectively with your classified
here. For rates and specs, email ...

[email-masked].