Dec 15, 2008 Posted by Judith

There is No Replacement for Ethics

It has been a running joke with those who know me that, if I were less ethical, how I could greatly increase my income. Since starting in online consulting 14 years ago, I have viewed being an online business consultant as having a mandate to be the reality and truth of what is required to thrive online — not what I can get away with sugarcoating; not what lack of experience I can take advantage of... read more

Dec 11, 2008 Posted by Judith

Top 10 Blogging Mistakes

Blogging is clearly a powerful tool for every business presence. But just as with anything, there is a right way to do so to ensure the best effort, effectiveness and results. I thought I would share with you some of the issues I see are most overlooked both in running ones own Blog and/or networking by commenting on other’s Blogs:Commenting on others Blogs and using keyword phrases in the name... read more

Dec 9, 2008 Posted by Judith

Customer Service Gives You an Edge!

When times get tough, business owners are even more selective about where they spend their company’s dollars. One thing that many online business owners don’t fully understand the importance of or take full advantage of, is the customer service aspect of having an online presence. Online, there is an expectation of immediacy. Whether that be with information that is commonly desired and... read more

Dec 4, 2008 Posted by Judith

Keywords Schmeewords

Don’t get me wrong — keywords are at the heart of any Web site’s marketing strategy. And, keywords (actually keyword phrases) should be discussed during the development process — not afterward. Keywords are fundamental to your SEO (search engine optimization) efforts but only when researched and integrated properly. Now with that said, surprisingly I find that many are under an... read more

Dec 3, 2008 Posted by Judith

Do You Mean Business?

You mean business if you:Have well-written content that is grammatically correct and spelled properly. Your Web site is chock full of information that talks to your customer’s desires and needs. Have excellent photos and graphics that will represent the quality of your products and services — no clip art for you! You understand your profit margins and what you can sell your wares for to... read more

Dec 1, 2008 Posted by Judith

Choose Your Usernames Carefully

We all know that online, perception is the only reality. How we are perceived by those who do not yet have the pleasure of knowing us is determined by everything we do online that is visible to others. Your e-mail address is one of this criteria. I’ve discussed before the importance of using your own dot com for all your business e-mail activities. Use of freebie “throw-away”... read more

Nov 25, 2008 Posted by Judith

Top 10 eStore Mistakes

10. Not having a plan or doing the due diligence necessary to determine if the new eStore can be competitive against the established sites already doing the same. Without niche — you’re nothing special. Selling the same stuff 100,000 sites are already selling, without offering anything unique or of greater value (service, freebies, member points, niche focus) is futile. 9. The store’s... read more

Nov 24, 2008 Posted by Judith

Having the Courage to Succeed

Times are tough for many of us on “Main Street” while Washington throws that term around as though they identify with us, feel our pain and are actually going to do something that directly effects our businesses and our life styles. I don’t believe it for a moment — nor should you. We all have to have the courage to succeed in lieu of all the craziness around us. We simply cannot... read more

Nov 20, 2008 Posted by Judith

No Such Thing as No Budget!

budget:a plan of operations based on such an estimate an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period.Three times this week potential new clients sent their extensive wish lists and arm’s length details of the type of Web site they would like to have. They spend hours, days and in some cases months determining what they want for every detail and pixel of their new Web... read more