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The Lowdown on Ecommerce

Ecommerce is truly the most confusing aspect of purchasing web design services. This is unfortunate since most (if not all) businesses online would like to provide their customers and potential customers with easy access their products or services. In order to help make sure you get what you need to to set up an ecommerce web site, let’s look at the necessary elements of selling online.

A Web Hosting Provider

The most important things to look for in a web hosting provider with respect to ecommerce are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) support, shopping cart software, payment gateway services and merchant account services. They are the pieces to the puzzle and you will not be able to sell online without all four of them. If you are working with a web developer who is not providing you with hosting, have them check out the features of the hosting plans you are looking at as well to make sure they will meet your needs.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Support

SSL is the internet protocol used to send information between a site visitor and a web server securely. If there is no SSL support, there is a risk that a user’s credit card information will be intercepted during the transaction. This process involves purchasing an SSL certificate. Many hosting companies offer use of what is called a “shared SSL certificate.” This simply means that instead of having your own, you will use one belonging to the hosting company and will store any secure pages on a directory of their server instead of your own web space. For people just starting out, this can be a very good solution and is often relatively inexpensive.

Another option is to buy your own SSL certificate. This is more costly, but also more professional. The visible difference to visitors of your site is that the checkout process will show your web site URL in the browser instead of that of your hosting provider.

For the lowest startup costs, check out PayPal’s merchant services. If you have a PayPal account, you can setup a basic shopping cart that will allow credit card transactions through PayPal. The downside is that your buyer will be taken to the PayPal site to enter in their credit card information, as opposed to the other two methods which can be integrated into your own site very easily. The major upside is that it is free with your PayPal account, excluding the fee per transaction.

Shopping Cart Software

If you are not going to go with the PayPal solution, you need to ensure that your hosting provider includes shopping cart software. As the name implies, shopping cart software allows a web site visitor to browse around your virtual store and place items in their cart. It also handles the final checkout process in conjunction with a payment gateway, which will be discussed below. There are many great shopping cart packages available, but they can be difficult to install and maintain on your own. Make sure your hosting provider offers good technical support before signing on, as their help will be invaluable when it comes to customizing the shopping cart software and integrating it with the rest of your web site. Some examples of good shopping cart software are Miva Merchant and OSCommerce.

Payment Gateway

When a customer enters their information into your shopping cart, it connects to a payment gateway or payment processor to verify that the credit card is valid and has the funds necessary to make the purchase. If this does not come with your hosting package, the most important thing to verify is that your shopping cart software supports the payment gateway provider you choose. Your web host should be able to provide you with the information you need to choose. If you already have a merchant account, you need to also ensure that your payment gateway and your merchant account can properly interact with each other. Many payment gateways provide merchant accounts as part of their service, but if you already have one you need to make sure they will be compatible.

Merchant Account

A merchant account is a type of bank account that must be setup with a payment processor in order to accept credit cards. Many web hosting providers have partnerships with merchant account providers and provide discounts on acquiring merchant accounts. This is an important factor to look for, since many merchant account providers have high application fees and start up costs. If you currently run a business that already accepts credit cards over the phone or in person through a card swipe terminal, then you already have a merchant account and your cheapest option might be to consult with the current provider of your account to see what they have to offer in terms of processing transactions over the internet. These are known as “card not present merchant accounts” since the buyer is not present with their physical card when making the transaction. Keep in mind that although a merchant account is a type of bank account, you will need to provide information about your regular checking account so that your merchant account provider can deposit into it when a sale is made.

Conclusion

The process in any ecommerce transaction involves a few steps. The customer browses and selects the products they want, typically utilizing shopping cart software. When they checkout, they enter their credit card number which is sent over the internet using the SSL protocol. When the hosting server receives this information, it connects to a payment gateway to approve the sale. The payment gateway verifies the credit card and deducts the funds for the sale. The payment gateway then communicates with your merchant account provider, transferring the funds. Lastly, the merchant account provider deposits the funds in a place that is accessible to you, such as a regular checking or savings account.

When selecting a web hosting provider and a web developer, make sure that all of these elements will work together. Request support from any third parties involved in the project to ensure that compatibility will not become an issue. If possible, find a package deal where all of this comes together, as it could save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

About The Author

Max Glantzman is the head designer and developer at JuiceBox Design, located at http://www.juiceboxweb.com/. Check out JuiceBox’s Web Design Advice Forum to get advice from the pros before making web development or hosting purchases.

The Lowdown On ECommerce: Making All The Pieces Fit Together

The Lowdown on Ecommerce

Ecommerce is truly the most confusing aspect of purchasing web design services. This is unfortunate since most (if not all) businesses online would like to provide their customers and potential customers with easy access their products or services. In order to help make sure you get what you need to to set up an ecommerce web site, let’s look at the necessary elements of selling online.

A Web Hosting Provider

The most important things to look for in a web hosting provider with respect to ecommerce are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) support, shopping cart software, payment gateway services and merchant account services. They are the pieces to the puzzle and you will not be able to sell online without all four of them. If you are working with a web developer who is not providing you with hosting, have them check out the features of the hosting plans you are looking at as well to make sure they will meet your needs.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Support

SSL is the internet protocol used to send information between a site visitor and a web server securely. If there is no SSL support, there is a risk that a user’s credit card information will be intercepted during the transaction. This process involves purchasing an SSL certificate. Many hosting companies offer use of what is called a “shared SSL certificate.” This simply means that instead of having your own, you will use one belonging to the hosting company and will store any secure pages on a directory of their server instead of your own web space. For people just starting out, this can be a very good solution and is often relatively inexpensive.

Another option is to buy your own SSL certificate. This is more costly, but also more professional. The visible difference to visitors of your site is that the checkout process will show your web site URL in the browser instead of that of your hosting provider.

For the lowest startup costs, check out PayPal’s merchant services. If you have a PayPal account, you can setup a basic shopping cart that will allow credit card transactions through PayPal. The downside is that your buyer will be taken to the PayPal site to enter in their credit card information, as opposed to the other two methods which can be integrated into your own site very easily. The major upside is that it is free with your PayPal account, excluding the fee per transaction.

Shopping Cart Software

If you are not going to go with the PayPal solution, you need to ensure that your hosting provider includes shopping cart software. As the name implies, shopping cart software allows a web site visitor to browse around your virtual store and place items in their cart. It also handles the final checkout process in conjunction with a payment gateway, which will be discussed below. There are many great shopping cart packages available, but they can be difficult to install and maintain on your own. Make sure your hosting provider offers good technical support before signing on, as their help will be invaluable when it comes to customizing the shopping cart software and integrating it with the rest of your web site. Some examples of good shopping cart software are Miva Merchant and OSCommerce.

Payment Gateway

When a customer enters their information into your shopping cart, it connects to a payment gateway or payment processor to verify that the credit card is valid and has the funds necessary to make the purchase. If this does not come with your hosting package, the most important thing to verify is that your shopping cart software supports the payment gateway provider you choose. Your web host should be able to provide you with the information you need to choose. If you already have a merchant account, you need to also ensure that your payment gateway and your merchant account can properly interact with each other. Many payment gateways provide merchant accounts as part of their service, but if you already have one you need to make sure they will be compatible.

Merchant Account

A merchant account is a type of bank account that must be setup with a payment processor in order to accept credit cards. Many web hosting providers have partnerships with merchant account providers and provide discounts on acquiring merchant accounts. This is an important factor to look for, since many merchant account providers have high application fees and start up costs. If you currently run a business that already accepts credit cards over the phone or in person through a card swipe terminal, then you already have a merchant account and your cheapest option might be to consult with the current provider of your account to see what they have to offer in terms of processing transactions over the internet. These are known as “card not present merchant accounts” since the buyer is not present with their physical card when making the transaction. Keep in mind that although a merchant account is a type of bank account, you will need to provide information about your regular checking account so that your merchant account provider can deposit into it when a sale is made.

Conclusion

The process in any ecommerce transaction involves a few steps. The customer browses and selects the products they want, typically utilizing shopping cart software. When they checkout, they enter their credit card number which is sent over the internet using the SSL protocol. When the hosting server receives this information, it connects to a payment gateway to approve the sale. The payment gateway verifies the credit card and deducts the funds for the sale. The payment gateway then communicates with your merchant account provider, transferring the funds. Lastly, the merchant account provider deposits the funds in a place that is accessible to you, such as a regular checking or savings account.

When selecting a web hosting provider and a web developer, make sure that all of these elements will work together. Request support from any third parties involved in the project to ensure that compatibility will not become an issue. If possible, find a package deal where all of this comes together, as it could save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

About The Author

Max Glantzman is the head designer and developer at JuiceBox Design, located at http://www.juiceboxweb.com/. Check out JuiceBox’s Web Design Advice Forum to get advice from the pros before making web development or hosting purchases.

The Lowdown On ECommerce: Making All The Pieces Fit Together

A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the countries of Spain, France, Italy, Monaco, Greece and Turkey and the islands of Malta, Crete and Sicily. Some cruises also include stops in Egypt. The Mediterranean cruise season is April to November when the weather is generally sunny and mild. Many cruise lines sail the Mediterranean and while there is most likely a cruise that appeals to any style and budget, we’ll focus on luxury cruises here.

Radisson Seven Seas is a luxury carrier in the small cruise line category. As such, a small number of passengers (only 198 to 700 based on individual ship capacity) are treated to personal service by a cruise line that has been selected by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure to be the “World’s Best Small Cruise Line”. Radisson Seven Seas appeals to the sophisticated traveler. Based upon service, quality dining, upscale accommodations, and service, Radisson Seven Seas has earned a six-star rating. The cruise line’s special accommodations include two 700 passenger all-balcony suites ships, Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, and one 490 passenger all-suites ship, Seven Seas Navigator. The Radisson Diamond is another unique ship due to its twin hull design. The Radisson Diamond carries 350 guests in luxury.

The Seven Seas Voyager and the Radisson Diamond routinely cruise the Mediterranean Sea, departing from or terminating at ports such as Rome, Venice, Athens, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Istanbul normally for a 7-night cruise. These cruises stop at some of the most famous European cities that occur between the start and end points such as Florence, Italy; Marseilles, France; St. Tropez, France; Dubrovnik, Croatia; the island of Sicily; and others.

Crystal Cruises is another award-winning six-star cruise line. A reader’s poll by Travel + Leisure magazine named Crystal “World’s Best” in cruise line service. Conde Nast Traveler magazine has awarded Crystal “Best Large-Ship Cruise Line” while Travel + Leisure called Crystal the “World’s Best Large – Ship Cruise Line”, both titles being given for the past nine years. Crystal Cruises boasts “extraordinary cuisine” coupled with impeccable service.

Crystal offers a large number of 7- to 12-night Mediterranean cruises, many with romantic overtones. For example, the Renaissance Reflection cruise originates in Lisbon and stops in Barcelona, Cannes and Monte Carlo. The Italian Treasures cruise spends seven nights on the west coast of Italy. The Path of the Phoenicians is a twelve-night odyssey from Athens to Istanbul followed by stops at the historically famous Greek islands of Kusadasi, Rhodes, and Santorini before terminating at Venice.

The Yachts of Seabourn cruise line advertises that they provide “Ultra Luxury” by “delivering the highest levels of personalized service to an exclusive group of guests aboard intimate, elegant ships that could visit the most enticing destinations worldwide.” Seabourn sails three identical all-suite ships that cater to only 208 passengers each. Of course, dining and service is world-class.

Seabourn offers longer, leisurely cruises that can explore a small or unique area in-depth. For example, the 17-day Spring Time in Spain cruise originates in Lisbon, Portugal, stops at six Spanish ports plus ports in Monaco, France and the Balearic Islands. Many of the stops were selected due to the availability of golf courses. The 16-day Mediterranean Odyssey II begins at Istanbul; spends six days at Greek ports, four days at Italian ports along with several days at sea before terminating at Lisbon. The 7-day Capitals of Antiquity cruise begins at Cairo, Egypt; tours the historic Greek islands of Rhodes, Mykonos, and Kusadasi before terminating at Istanbul.

If luxury is your objective, there are a large number of out of the ordinary Mediterranean cruises to choose from beyond those discussed here.

Looking for information about cruises? Go to: http://www.whatcruises.com ‘What Cruises’ is published by Colin Hartness – An excellent resource for Cruises! Check out more cruise articles at: http://www.whatcruises.com/archive

Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean

A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the countries of Spain, France, Italy, Monaco, Greece and Turkey and the islands of Malta, Crete and Sicily. Some cruises also include stops in Egypt. The Mediterranean cruise season is April to November when the weather is generally sunny and mild. Many cruise lines sail the Mediterranean and while there is most likely a cruise that appeals to any style and budget, we’ll focus on luxury cruises here.

Radisson Seven Seas is a luxury carrier in the small cruise line category. As such, a small number of passengers (only 198 to 700 based on individual ship capacity) are treated to personal service by a cruise line that has been selected by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure to be the “World’s Best Small Cruise Line”. Radisson Seven Seas appeals to the sophisticated traveler. Based upon service, quality dining, upscale accommodations, and service, Radisson Seven Seas has earned a six-star rating. The cruise line’s special accommodations include two 700 passenger all-balcony suites ships, Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, and one 490 passenger all-suites ship, Seven Seas Navigator. The Radisson Diamond is another unique ship due to its twin hull design. The Radisson Diamond carries 350 guests in luxury.

The Seven Seas Voyager and the Radisson Diamond routinely cruise the Mediterranean Sea, departing from or terminating at ports such as Rome, Venice, Athens, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Istanbul normally for a 7-night cruise. These cruises stop at some of the most famous European cities that occur between the start and end points such as Florence, Italy; Marseilles, France; St. Tropez, France; Dubrovnik, Croatia; the island of Sicily; and others.

Crystal Cruises is another award-winning six-star cruise line. A reader’s poll by Travel + Leisure magazine named Crystal “World’s Best” in cruise line service. Conde Nast Traveler magazine has awarded Crystal “Best Large-Ship Cruise Line” while Travel + Leisure called Crystal the “World’s Best Large – Ship Cruise Line”, both titles being given for the past nine years. Crystal Cruises boasts “extraordinary cuisine” coupled with impeccable service.

Crystal offers a large number of 7- to 12-night Mediterranean cruises, many with romantic overtones. For example, the Renaissance Reflection cruise originates in Lisbon and stops in Barcelona, Cannes and Monte Carlo. The Italian Treasures cruise spends seven nights on the west coast of Italy. The Path of the Phoenicians is a twelve-night odyssey from Athens to Istanbul followed by stops at the historically famous Greek islands of Kusadasi, Rhodes, and Santorini before terminating at Venice.

The Yachts of Seabourn cruise line advertises that they provide “Ultra Luxury” by “delivering the highest levels of personalized service to an exclusive group of guests aboard intimate, elegant ships that could visit the most enticing destinations worldwide.” Seabourn sails three identical all-suite ships that cater to only 208 passengers each. Of course, dining and service is world-class.

Seabourn offers longer, leisurely cruises that can explore a small or unique area in-depth. For example, the 17-day Spring Time in Spain cruise originates in Lisbon, Portugal, stops at six Spanish ports plus ports in Monaco, France and the Balearic Islands. Many of the stops were selected due to the availability of golf courses. The 16-day Mediterranean Odyssey II begins at Istanbul; spends six days at Greek ports, four days at Italian ports along with several days at sea before terminating at Lisbon. The 7-day Capitals of Antiquity cruise begins at Cairo, Egypt; tours the historic Greek islands of Rhodes, Mykonos, and Kusadasi before terminating at Istanbul.

If luxury is your objective, there are a large number of out of the ordinary Mediterranean cruises to choose from beyond those discussed here.

Looking for information about cruises? Go to: http://www.whatcruises.com ‘What Cruises’ is published by Colin Hartness – An excellent resource for Cruises! Check out more cruise articles at: http://www.whatcruises.com/archive

Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean

If you’ve chosen a business career, you will inevitably experience some type of setback. And whether your pet project is canceled, your performance review is a bust, you get turned down for a promotion, or you’re asked to leave the company, setbacks hurt big time. Nevertheless, if you start thinking of yourself as a victim or allow yourself to lapse into prolonged negativity, you won’t be hurting anyone except yourself. Worrying until you get sick, abusing drugs or denying that you’ve reached an impasse won’t help either. The best strategy for making a comeback is to recognize the reality of the situation, acknowledge your feelings and find a way to cope productively. Here are some other tips you might find helpful:

* Remind yourself that in a month, this will be a memory. When setbacks happen, the tendency is to feel like your bad luck will last forever. By keeping in mind that the situation is temporary, you’ll be strong enough emotionally to take the necessary steps to overcome your misfortune.

* Recognize that a setback does not make you a total failure. Treat your setback as the isolated incident that it is. Regardless of what happened, chances are it’s not going to significantly affect your life one way or the other. And I don’t know any successful people who’ve learned the right way to do things without trying several wrong ones first.

* Care for your self-esteem. Your identity and self-worth are too precious to leave in the hands of the volatile business world. Your job does not define who you are. You existed before it and will exist after. In the meantime, rather than focusing on your own inadequacies, remind yourself that you are doing the best you can under the circumstances.

* Reach out to your support systems. During a crisis, it always helps to know you are not alone and that you are justified in feeling the way you do. Instead of withdrawing from the people you care about, make an effort to connect with them and lean on them for support. Your network of friends and family is most critical, but you can also receive comfort and insight from spiritual support systems and prayer as well.

* Look for humor in the situation. Having a good laugh can counteract the effects of stress and restore your sense of perspective and your ability to think clearly. It’s been proven that when one is happy, the body recovers more quickly from the biological arousal of upsetting emotions. Use whatever humor floats your boat ? corny, silly, dry or satirical ? as long as it makes you crack a smile.

* Be good to your body. As we’ve talked about, regular exercise and relaxation techniques like stretching, meditating or doing yoga are great ways to reduce negativity and get back on track. Eating reasonable portions of healthy foods can also increase your overall well being while you are recovering from the setback.

* Commit yourself to a new project. New goals and projects provide fresh perspective and a sorely needed dose of enthusiasm. You’ll be motivated to work harder and will probably be too busy to think much about the setback.

About The Author

Alexandra Levit worked for a Fortune 500 software company and an international public relations firm before starting Inspiration @Work, an independent marketing communications business. She’s the author of They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World (Career Press 2004; http://www.corporateincollege.com). This excerpt was reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from THEY DON’T TEACH CORPORATE IN COLLEGE © 2004 Alexandra Levit. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. All rights reserved.

Tips for Handling On the Job Setbacks

If you’ve chosen a business career, you will inevitably experience some type of setback. And whether your pet project is canceled, your performance review is a bust, you get turned down for a promotion, or you’re asked to leave the company, setbacks hurt big time. Nevertheless, if you start thinking of yourself as a victim or allow yourself to lapse into prolonged negativity, you won’t be hurting anyone except yourself. Worrying until you get sick, abusing drugs or denying that you’ve reached an impasse won’t help either. The best strategy for making a comeback is to recognize the reality of the situation, acknowledge your feelings and find a way to cope productively. Here are some other tips you might find helpful:

* Remind yourself that in a month, this will be a memory. When setbacks happen, the tendency is to feel like your bad luck will last forever. By keeping in mind that the situation is temporary, you’ll be strong enough emotionally to take the necessary steps to overcome your misfortune.

* Recognize that a setback does not make you a total failure. Treat your setback as the isolated incident that it is. Regardless of what happened, chances are it’s not going to significantly affect your life one way or the other. And I don’t know any successful people who’ve learned the right way to do things without trying several wrong ones first.

* Care for your self-esteem. Your identity and self-worth are too precious to leave in the hands of the volatile business world. Your job does not define who you are. You existed before it and will exist after. In the meantime, rather than focusing on your own inadequacies, remind yourself that you are doing the best you can under the circumstances.

* Reach out to your support systems. During a crisis, it always helps to know you are not alone and that you are justified in feeling the way you do. Instead of withdrawing from the people you care about, make an effort to connect with them and lean on them for support. Your network of friends and family is most critical, but you can also receive comfort and insight from spiritual support systems and prayer as well.

* Look for humor in the situation. Having a good laugh can counteract the effects of stress and restore your sense of perspective and your ability to think clearly. It’s been proven that when one is happy, the body recovers more quickly from the biological arousal of upsetting emotions. Use whatever humor floats your boat ? corny, silly, dry or satirical ? as long as it makes you crack a smile.

* Be good to your body. As we’ve talked about, regular exercise and relaxation techniques like stretching, meditating or doing yoga are great ways to reduce negativity and get back on track. Eating reasonable portions of healthy foods can also increase your overall well being while you are recovering from the setback.

* Commit yourself to a new project. New goals and projects provide fresh perspective and a sorely needed dose of enthusiasm. You’ll be motivated to work harder and will probably be too busy to think much about the setback.

About The Author

Alexandra Levit worked for a Fortune 500 software company and an international public relations firm before starting Inspiration @Work, an independent marketing communications business. She’s the author of They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World (Career Press 2004; http://www.corporateincollege.com). This excerpt was reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from THEY DON’T TEACH CORPORATE IN COLLEGE © 2004 Alexandra Levit. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. All rights reserved.

Tips for Handling On the Job Setbacks

Having been in the franchising business all my life and understanding how hard it is to build a brand, I have probably read every other popular book on the subject. Some are good and most are excellent, as each one helps give you ideas on setting the stage for your brand marketing objectives. Branding on the Internet is somewhat new as before 1995 there was little if any Internet to speak of. One book I can recommend is:

“11 immutable laws of Internet branding” by Laura Ries.

This was a goods book. Where as I agree with MANY of the rules of thumb, I disagree completely with nearly all of the examples supporting their assertions. Most of the purported examples to prove their theories are outdated and out of context. I do not recommend this book to anyone and having personally called the author, I was a little concerned with the lack of business history and knowledge that went into the work. Too bad, it is a good subject. In my companies we are following most all of the basic marketing branding rules they consider relevant, and probably better than nearly all of the other companies listed or mentioned.

Internet Brand Marketing is important, but only a mere component of the whole. Sure it is important and you should pay attention to your strategy, but the customer will always vote with their dollar, so realize when reading such books that these people who write them actually are writing them to puff up clients they have and trying to sell marketing strategy services. They made errors in their assumptions of Microsoft, the reason for the Boston Market failure, their degree of confidence in Amazon.com, their domain name picking theories. I could nearly crush them in a debate on almost every single example they used to prove a point, as they cite case laws and business histories. On the points themselves they are plus or minus average in their correctness, and I would only challenge a few points, if any and only in certain contexts or situations. All in all however the book should be read with a grain of salt but definitely read by anyone who is in charge of brand marketing on the Internet, which by now should be every CEO in the country.

So, why would one recommend a book they disagree with? Because this book makes you think and question reality. You must constantly audit your brand image, you need to look at it from every perspective, trust me. So read this book and buy it online today.

“Lance Winslow” – If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Internet Branding

Having been in the franchising business all my life and understanding how hard it is to build a brand, I have probably read every other popular book on the subject. Some are good and most are excellent, as each one helps give you ideas on setting the stage for your brand marketing objectives. Branding on the Internet is somewhat new as before 1995 there was little if any Internet to speak of. One book I can recommend is:

“11 immutable laws of Internet branding” by Laura Ries.

This was a goods book. Where as I agree with MANY of the rules of thumb, I disagree completely with nearly all of the examples supporting their assertions. Most of the purported examples to prove their theories are outdated and out of context. I do not recommend this book to anyone and having personally called the author, I was a little concerned with the lack of business history and knowledge that went into the work. Too bad, it is a good subject. In my companies we are following most all of the basic marketing branding rules they consider relevant, and probably better than nearly all of the other companies listed or mentioned.

Internet Brand Marketing is important, but only a mere component of the whole. Sure it is important and you should pay attention to your strategy, but the customer will always vote with their dollar, so realize when reading such books that these people who write them actually are writing them to puff up clients they have and trying to sell marketing strategy services. They made errors in their assumptions of Microsoft, the reason for the Boston Market failure, their degree of confidence in Amazon.com, their domain name picking theories. I could nearly crush them in a debate on almost every single example they used to prove a point, as they cite case laws and business histories. On the points themselves they are plus or minus average in their correctness, and I would only challenge a few points, if any and only in certain contexts or situations. All in all however the book should be read with a grain of salt but definitely read by anyone who is in charge of brand marketing on the Internet, which by now should be every CEO in the country.

So, why would one recommend a book they disagree with? Because this book makes you think and question reality. You must constantly audit your brand image, you need to look at it from every perspective, trust me. So read this book and buy it online today.

“Lance Winslow” – If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Internet Branding

You are a small or a medium business owner. You have a well designed business website. It is a Search Engine Optimized (SEO) website for a limited set of keywords. However, with changing rules of SEO and new competitors entering the market, your select keywords stand a slim chance of surviving the onslaught. What are the chances that your website will remain on the top when a potential customer searches those special keywords on a search engine? To make matters worse, Search engines change their algorithms without any notice and suddenly your site is no longer in top 10 results. So what is the solution?

How about hiring a Blog Outsourcing company to add a Business Blog to your website? (If you are not familiar with Business Blogs, read my earlier article here: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=50041 ).

A business blog can do the SEO magic when it is embedded to your business website. Business blogging needs discipline to write every other day to bring potential customers to your business website. If you have the time and inclination, you may write the business blog yourself. However, if you feel, you should concentrate on your business; you can outsource this task to a Blog Outsourcing Company. Here is a link to first such company: http://www.ideologicllc.com.

What are the benefits of a Business Blog?

1. Improves searchability of your business website, thus increasing the chances of prospective clients visiting your business website.

2. A Business Blog provides instantaneous Customer feedback with comments.

3. A Business Blog has a potential to become centralized knowledgebase with articles containing tips and tutorials about correct usage of the products or services.

4. You can use a Business Blog to share product development status, thus passively achieving pre-launch marketing of the product.

5. The Business Blogs can help in branding a product online.

6. Your Business blog can help in building your business reputation.

7. Believe it or not, a business blog can project you as an expert in your niche business area.

8. Business blog lets you do your own “press release” on the website.

What happens when a business blog is outsourced?

A blogger from the Business Blog Outsourcing Company meets with the business owner or representative once every month and strategically selects few topics which are of interest to the company’s current and prospective clients and prepares keyword rich articles to be published on the company’s blog either every other day or once in a week, depending on the plan selected by the company. Results can be phenomenal. Instead of select keywords for the website, each blog posting has separate keywords which are used by the potential customers searching the internet for specific products or services.

What is the justification for outsourcing a Business Blog?

It is said a business person must concentrate on expanding and improving the business. If he/she tries to do everything, then nothing gets done. So, if a task can be done by secretary, it must be done by a secretary and if a task is difficult or there is lack of time, hiring outside help maybe the best way to get that task done. Business blogging is same way. Writing is a time consuming task, so it is better left to a professional blogger or writer who can better construct the article, intersperse it with business-specific keywords keeping search engine criteria in mind.

Can a professional writer or a blogger do justice to the task of writing about a business, product or service, where he/she has no expertise? The answer is yes. This is no different from a situation where a professional writer writes articles in a magazine about various businesses, products and services. Knowledge can always be gained and then combined with the skills of a professional writer. End result is an article that captivates reader’s attention till very end and has a potential of converting a prospect to a loyal customer.

Harish Keshwani is a Strategic Blogging Consultant, Software Developer, Blogger and an Entrepreneur. He is focused on consulting and guiding small and medium businesses in setting up their blogs and managing it for them as an outsourced process.

He guides corporations of small and medium size to realize the potential of blogging for their business. With appropriate content, he helps companies to keep their customers satisfied and in close touch. He promotes blogging as a marketing and customer response tool to the companies.

His contact information is: Email: businessorati-at-gmail-dot-com Company: Ideologic L.L.C.-A Small/Medium Business Blog Process Outsourcing Company. Website: http://www.ideologicllc.com Blog: http://www.ideologicllc.com/wp

Small / Medium Business Blog Process Outsourcing as a Website Traffic Building Service

You are a small or a medium business owner. You have a well designed business website. It is a Search Engine Optimized (SEO) website for a limited set of keywords. However, with changing rules of SEO and new competitors entering the market, your select keywords stand a slim chance of surviving the onslaught. What are the chances that your website will remain on the top when a potential customer searches those special keywords on a search engine? To make matters worse, Search engines change their algorithms without any notice and suddenly your site is no longer in top 10 results. So what is the solution?

How about hiring a Blog Outsourcing company to add a Business Blog to your website? (If you are not familiar with Business Blogs, read my earlier article here: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=50041 ).

A business blog can do the SEO magic when it is embedded to your business website. Business blogging needs discipline to write every other day to bring potential customers to your business website. If you have the time and inclination, you may write the business blog yourself. However, if you feel, you should concentrate on your business; you can outsource this task to a Blog Outsourcing Company. Here is a link to first such company: http://www.ideologicllc.com.

What are the benefits of a Business Blog?

1. Improves searchability of your business website, thus increasing the chances of prospective clients visiting your business website.

2. A Business Blog provides instantaneous Customer feedback with comments.

3. A Business Blog has a potential to become centralized knowledgebase with articles containing tips and tutorials about correct usage of the products or services.

4. You can use a Business Blog to share product development status, thus passively achieving pre-launch marketing of the product.

5. The Business Blogs can help in branding a product online.

6. Your Business blog can help in building your business reputation.

7. Believe it or not, a business blog can project you as an expert in your niche business area.

8. Business blog lets you do your own “press release” on the website.

What happens when a business blog is outsourced?

A blogger from the Business Blog Outsourcing Company meets with the business owner or representative once every month and strategically selects few topics which are of interest to the company’s current and prospective clients and prepares keyword rich articles to be published on the company’s blog either every other day or once in a week, depending on the plan selected by the company. Results can be phenomenal. Instead of select keywords for the website, each blog posting has separate keywords which are used by the potential customers searching the internet for specific products or services.

What is the justification for outsourcing a Business Blog?

It is said a business person must concentrate on expanding and improving the business. If he/she tries to do everything, then nothing gets done. So, if a task can be done by secretary, it must be done by a secretary and if a task is difficult or there is lack of time, hiring outside help maybe the best way to get that task done. Business blogging is same way. Writing is a time consuming task, so it is better left to a professional blogger or writer who can better construct the article, intersperse it with business-specific keywords keeping search engine criteria in mind.

Can a professional writer or a blogger do justice to the task of writing about a business, product or service, where he/she has no expertise? The answer is yes. This is no different from a situation where a professional writer writes articles in a magazine about various businesses, products and services. Knowledge can always be gained and then combined with the skills of a professional writer. End result is an article that captivates reader’s attention till very end and has a potential of converting a prospect to a loyal customer.

Harish Keshwani is a Strategic Blogging Consultant, Software Developer, Blogger and an Entrepreneur. He is focused on consulting and guiding small and medium businesses in setting up their blogs and managing it for them as an outsourced process.

He guides corporations of small and medium size to realize the potential of blogging for their business. With appropriate content, he helps companies to keep their customers satisfied and in close touch. He promotes blogging as a marketing and customer response tool to the companies.

His contact information is: Email: businessorati-at-gmail-dot-com Company: Ideologic L.L.C.-A Small/Medium Business Blog Process Outsourcing Company. Website: http://www.ideologicllc.com Blog: http://www.ideologicllc.com/wp

Small / Medium Business Blog Process Outsourcing as a Website Traffic Building Service