Grammar Matters, Even Online

For some reason Internet slang never really became part of my vernacular (it’s kind of like Spanish in that I can understand it, sometimes speak it, but rarely write it) and I guess I should consider myself lucky. For whatever reason it seems like I am receiving more and more letters and emails with blatant grammatical errors. I’m not just referring to simple mistakes like misusing their, there, and they’re or not using commas correctly. I’m talking about huge and obvious mistakes like Inappropriate Capitalization, misspelled words, and lack of appropriate structure. This has even been the case with some blogs and other online resources I have been reading lately. There is a very popular blog whose administrator writes effectively, but has a regular contributor that writes articles that are completely messed up from start to finish (by the way, if the contributor can’t write well, shouldn’t that administrator be acting as an editor?). It’s a shame because the ideas expressed on this blog are generally good and progressive enough to create a conversation about them.

When you don’t take the time to proof your work people don’t take you seriously. It seems like you don’t have enough pride in your own work to ensure that you’ve written it properly and I have trouble accepting that.

This is probably strange, especially considering my age and the fact that none of my peers care, but I always make sure that every text message I send is properly written, including capitalization and punctuation. Even though no one else takes the time, I want to make sure that I do so I don’t get in the habit of writing poorly.

We all work really hard trying to express ourselves and this is something basic that everyone already expects you to do. Please take a few extra minutes to click the "Spell Check" button before submitting something. If not for you, then do it for me. Even though it’s only a blog, or a Tweet, or an email, it all becomes a document and that document is black and white. There is no going back and now tangible proof exists that you don’t know what you’re doing (and that’s a shame because you’re probably very intelligent, but your shortcuts don’t back up that assertion).

Take the time to be precise. It's worth it.
By David Kotowski

How Can You Go About Making Money Online

More and more people are catching on to the wonderful opportunities that exist through working on the internet to make money, while few of these internet businesses will bring in enough cash to let you quit your day job, they are perfect if you would like a little more money to supplement your salary.

The internet is full of opportunities to take advantage of. Unfortunately, a majority of the entrepreneurs seem to fail with an online business. But there are some things you can do to go about making money online.

One of the toughest things you will find about an online business is the endless amount of freedom you have. The problem some have is actually sitting down and working a regular shift. There are far more distractions at your home then there would be at an office. Therefore, you have to be motivated and dedicated to get your work done.

A problem many sites have is creating fresh and enticing content. There are far too many sites that have repetitive content that some other site used. Instead of being original, these sites took information and reworded it. If you want to separate yourself from the competitors, you have to come up with new ideas. This will also pave the way for return customers.

While the content on your site is crucial, so too is the design. You want to create a visually appealing site that people will want to come to. The combination of solid content and a visually appealing site will allow you to reel in customers left and right. And if you cannot create a professional looking site, do not be afraid to ask for help.

If you want to be successful on the internet, you must be persistent and consistent. When it comes to the marketing aspect, you have to be consistent with your efforts. Just because you have traffic coming to your site does not mean you can stop marketing. And when promoting your site, be persistent and let your prospects know they will be better after purchasing what you have to offer.

Lastly, do not be afraid to take chances and change. The internet is constantly changing and evolving. You have to be willing to expand your business as things on the internet change. If you stay the way you are, you are sure to get passed by your competition. There is no room on the internet for hesitancy, and if you want to go anywhere on the internet you have to take chances.

Making money online is not the easiest thing to do. Too many people go into an online business with the impression they will get rich quick without having to work that hard. It is possible to be successful online, but you have to be willing to work at it. Follow the tips listed above and you will be on your way to a successful business.

By Gavin cole

The Art of Persuasive Business Writing

All good writing involves persuasion-getting the reader over to your side. You may be writing to persuade a colleague to take on a new project, writing a blog post trying to persuade people to accept a new idea, or writing persuasive advertising copy for a new product. In each situation, your goal is to persuade your readers that you have something to say and that it is in their best interest to take the action you have requested. Here are five elements to keep in mind when writing persuasive messages. 1. "You" attitude. Too much business writing has an "I" or "we" viewpoint, which causes the writer to sound selfish and not interested in the reader. If you want to get your point of view across, convey information, or persuade the reader, you have to talk in terms of the reader's interests, hopes, wishes, and preferences. Good writing psychology requires that you present your message in light of the reader's viewpoint rather than your own. "I" or "We" To help us process this order, we must ask for another copy of the requisition. We trust you will extend your service contract. "You" So that your order can be filled promptly, please send another copy of the requisition. By extending your service contract, you can continue to enjoy topnotch performance from your equipment. 2. Warmth. You can make all sorts of mistakes in your messages yet still leave your readers with a good feeling if you can convey the magic intangible of personal warmth. Warmth is more difficult in writing than it is in oral communications. Essentially, warmth is an aspect-possibly even the measure-of the "you" viewpoint. You should not only demonstrate concern for the audience's problems but interest in their attitudes and an appreciation of the ways in which handling the situation is going to be helpful to them. 3. Parallel experience. One way of touching the right spots with your reader is to draw on a parallel situation in your own experience. Build your writing around this experience, or use what you learned as a basis for your writing. By creating a sympathetic bond between you and your reader, you enhance the person-to-person connection and help your reader to become more open to what you are saying. 4. Good manners. If you want to persuade your reader, you must show impeccable manners. In other words, be nice. If you are rude or overly aggressive, your reader will shut down to your argument and turn elsewhere. When in doubt, put yourself on the other end of the writing and ask, "How would I feel if this was directed at me? Would I be offended, or would I be open to listening to more?" 5. Tone. The tone of your writing goes beyond the content of your words and offers the reader an overall feeling or indication of your meaning. The overall tone of your message will depend on the subject, but a general guideline is to stay positive. Suggest to your reader that you are interested in his or her problems and in solving them. A good tone is ruined by using harsh words or phrases. Some examples: Poor the alleged loss you claim that you neglected to send in which you assert if we were at fault we request that you send us Improved the loss you refer to we understand that you did not send you tell us please accept our apologies please send us Persuasion is an art, not a science-but that does not mean there is no winning formula. By incorporating these five elements into your business communication, you will have a greater chance of getting your reader to stop, listen, and take the action you want.

The Art of Persuasive Business Writing by: Courtland Bovee

All good writing involves persuasion-getting the reader over to your side. You may be writing to persuade a colleague to take on a new project, writing a blog post trying to persuade people to accept a new idea, or writing persuasive advertising copy for a new product. In each situation, your goal is to persuade your readers that you have something to say and that it is in their best interest to take the action you have requested. Here are five elements to keep in mind when writing persuasive messages. 1. "You" attitude. Too much business writing has an "I" or "we" viewpoint, which causes the writer to sound selfish and not interested in the reader. If you want to get your point of view across, convey information, or persuade the reader, you have to talk in terms of the reader's interests, hopes, wishes, and preferences. Good writing psychology requires that you present your message in light of the reader's viewpoint rather than your own. "I" or "We" To help us process this order, we must ask for another copy of the requisition. We trust you will extend your service contract. "You" So that your order can be filled promptly, please send another copy of the requisition. By extending your service contract, you can continue to enjoy topnotch performance from your equipment. 2. Warmth. You can make all sorts of mistakes in your messages yet still leave your readers with a good feeling if you can convey the magic intangible of personal warmth. Warmth is more difficult in writing than it is in oral communications. Essentially, warmth is an aspect-possibly even the measure-of the "you" viewpoint. You should not only demonstrate concern for the audience's problems but interest in their attitudes and an appreciation of the ways in which handling the situation is going to be helpful to them. 3. Parallel experience. One way of touching the right spots with your reader is to draw on a parallel situation in your own experience. Build your writing around this experience, or use what you learned as a basis for your writing. By creating a sympathetic bond between you and your reader, you enhance the person-to-person connection and help your reader to become more open to what you are saying. 4. Good manners. If you want to persuade your reader, you must show impeccable manners. In other words, be nice. If you are rude or overly aggressive, your reader will shut down to your argument and turn elsewhere. When in doubt, put yourself on the other end of the writing and ask, "How would I feel if this was directed at me? Would I be offended, or would I be open to listening to more?" 5. Tone. The tone of your writing goes beyond the content of your words and offers the reader an overall feeling or indication of your meaning. The overall tone of your message will depend on the subject, but a general guideline is to stay positive. Suggest to your reader that you are interested in his or her problems and in solving them. A good tone is ruined by using harsh words or phrases. Some examples: Poor...........................Improved the alleged loss...............the loss you refer to you claim that.................we understand that you neglected to send..........you did not send in which you assert............you tell us if we were at fault............please accept our apologies we request that you send us....please send us Persuasion is an art, not a science-but that does not mean there is no winning formula. By incorporating these five elements into your business communication, you will have a greater chance of getting your reader to stop, listen, and take the action you want.

Internet Marketing For Online Business by: Cliff Posey Jr

Internet marketing for your online business can be confusing, especially if you are not familiar with all of the different aspects of website marketing. This is why it can sometimes be hard to determine exactly which marketing method to use. Many business owners are afraid to choose a marketing strategy because they fear it will not pay off. Others don't care and are willing to try virtually anything. No matter which category you fall into, you will have to eventually make a choice. Every online business needs to advertise in some way if they want to compete. At some point, you will have to take a chance. It is only after you have developed and implemented a website marketing strategy that you will truly be able to determine whether or not it was a success. Though there are many different website marketing techniques, there is really only one way to judge the success of your online campaign. Follow-up. If you never follow-up on your marketing decisions, it will be impossible for you to determine whether or not you should continue with a specific website marketing strategy. See, a website marketing campaign is just like any other marketing campaign. Once it is over, the results need to be analyzed and measured. Follow-up is especially important when it comes to Internet marketing for online business, because there are so many methods of advertising. By tracking your results, you can determine which methods of website marketing were effective and which methods were not. You can then adjust your methods accordingly. If you have never tracked your website traffic or the results of a website marketing campaign, it may be hard to determine where to start. However, you shouldn't become frustrated and give up too soon. Results tracking is very important if you want to make sure you're not throwing your advertising money out the window. The easiest way to track your site visitors is by viewing your website's logs. These logs are a record of your site visitors and can help you determine where the traffic on your website came from. By viewing these logs, you will know whether or not the visitors were a direct result of the website marketing campaign. Just about every web hosting company provides this service to their customers. If your web host does not allow you access to these logs or if they will not send you weblog reports, you may want to consider switching web hosts. If switching hosts is not a viable option, you can also purchase one of many software programs that are specifically designed to help you track and analyze your website marketing efforts. Results tracking is an essential part of Internet marketing for online business. Without it, you will have a very hard time figuring out exactly how effective your website marketing campaign is. You would never know how a website visitor found your site and you would never know which advertising strategies were failures. Effective Internet marketing for online business brings traffic to your website and then converts that traffic into paying customers. When you can accomplish this conversion on a regular basis, you will know that your website marketing strategy is truly a success. Comprehensive Internet marketing for online business is more than just launching a campaign. You must also take an active role in market research, strategy development, campaign design, risk management, and quality control. Then, by carefully monitoring and measuring the results of your website marketing efforts, you can

Is Making A Good First Impression On Business Clients Important?by: Dock Murphy

It has been said that it is important to always make a good first impression and you only get one chance to do that. After that opportunity passes, you will play catch-up in having your clients believe in you. You only rarely get a second chance to make a good first impression so you have to make the best of the opportunity. In business, the first impression begins with the first contact a potential client has with you. Whether it is on the telephone or in person, the first time a client has any type of dealings with you company can help him for an instant opinion. Unfortunately, for many business owners, they are not the ones holding the key to the first meeting. It could be hindered by the receptionist who answers the phone or the maintenance man who is supposed to keep the front sidewalk clear of litter. If they are not all on the same page in making your new clients feel welcome, you are fast approaching the point of being too late to make that good first impression. Even if the prospective new client gets into the office with no trouble for the first meeting, do not keep them waiting. While five minutes may not seem like a long time, but it could give the opinion that you do not think that person is important to your business. If they feel they do not matter to you, they will not believe you matter to them. It does not matter what industry you are in or what type of work you do, there are many others that can provide the same service or product. The new client wants to be comfortable knowing that you are going to say what you will do and then do what you say. If you make the client feel uncomfortable or make them wait, they will probably seek another place to park their business. If the new client feels good about doing business with your company and strikes a deal, that is only the beginning. That first impression can be ruined by bad follow up and not delivering on your promise. If you can do everything right, that first impression can translate into the best advertising you can hope for…word of mouth. It is a commonly accepted theory that if you make one client happy they will tell five others. If you do not treat them right they will tell two of their friends, who will tell two of their friends and so on, until business quits coming to you. There is no shame in doing what is right for the customer. After all, if the clients quit coming to your door, you may as well lock and stay at home.

4 Ways To Skyrocket Your Opt In Rate And Build Your On-line Business

If you are not building an opt-in list on your website you are losing money - period. Having a list is the most important aspect of website marketing as it gets your prospect into your marketing funnel…and that utlimately means a higher bottom line. But how do you improve your opt-in rate with clients…
1. Sell the benefits not the features.
Your prospect is giving you permission to send them information to their email account and they want to know WIIFM or “What is in it for me?”. You need to carefully structure your opt-in box so that it is easily identified and filled out.List the benefits of the information that they will receive, how quickly they will receive it and list some testimonials from happy customers about the quality of your information. You have to sell this to your prospect if you want to have any hope of getting them to sign up for an optin-list.For example, “In just 30 seconds time you too could find out the 7 deadly mistakes first home buyers make and how to avoid them. ”
2. Experiment with pop-ups.
Many people hate pop-ups but they can be an effective opt-in strategy as either a pop-up on entry or a pop-under on exit. I recommend testing and measuring the effectiveness of the pop up on your site.On some of my sites they have increased the subscriber rate yet on others the opposite has occurred. Remember to test and measure everything to establish what works, what doesn’t and what gives you the best ROI.
3. Have a strict, easily visible, no spam policy.
Customers want to know that their details are safe and that they aren’t going to receive spam from you. Write in the opt-in box that you “hate spam as much as you do and you can easily unsubscribe if you don’t like the service”.If they do unsubscribe make sure that you remove their details from your database. Most quality email marketing systems will do this automatically (like 1 shopping cart and Aweber).This provides a safe opportunity for prospects to explore and learn about you and also leave if they dislike the information.
4. Place your opt-in form on your sales page.
This should go about half way down so they can opt-in for a free report and they are “in the system”. In doing so you have identified a qualified lead, one which is more likely to buy from you.By employing proven opt-in tactics you will be able to skyrocket your opt-in rate and build your business with a larger client base