LOCATING KEY INFORMATION:
o When searching the web, use effective search techniques.
Instead of bouncing from engine to engine, use a multi-
search engine like Dogpile or Metacrawler. They are ideal
for finding things in a hurry. It's also a good idea to
take two minutes and learn the Boolean search terms. A quick
explanation is at http://www.newsbank.com/whatsnew/boolean/.
Boolean searches result in more relevant returns so you'll
find what you're looking for faster.
o Use your email program as a powerful archive.
This is as simple as saving EVERY email message you ever
send. A program like Eudora is ideal for this. Simply create
a mailbox called outgoing archive and rather than deleting
old outgoing messages, transfer them all to this mailbox.
People are amazed when you "recall" conversations you had
with them years before. What you're really doing is using
the powerful search tools that scan years of old messages in
seconds. You can find conversations, old passwords, business
deals and any other detail in just seconds.
MAKE YOUR WEBSITE A SAFE HAVEN FOR FRAZZLED SURFERS:
At your website...
o Tell your visitors why they should stay, as soon as they
arrive!
Don't make your visitors guess what your site will do for them.
Prominently display a reason for them to stick around. Most successful
sites go as far describing their site content right in their URL,
so visitors know what to expect BEFORE they get to the site. If
your URL doesn't do that, consider getting a few domains that do,
then redirect them to your main site. Try this wizard if you're
looking for a great new domain name or two: www.bizweb2000.com/wizard
Once your visitor has arrived, get them to the most popular
areas of your site without delay. You have less than 20
seconds to make an impression. Most visitors will be gone if
they have not found something of value within that time frame.
o Ask for a visitors email address as soon as they arrive.
The very next thing you should do is ask visitors for their
email address. They'll love you for giving them a way to
stay in touch and your business will grow endlessly. Not
asking right away was a mistake I was making for years. A
recent adjustment at my home page has resulted in DOUBLE
the number of subscribers to my newsletter each day.
Consider this one-two punch of attention grabbing and
address grabbing as critical to your long-term success.
o Be brief.
Nearly everything you write at your site can be said with
half the words. Remember, paragraphs that are longer than 60
words are too long, particularly on your main page. (This
little paragraph is 60 words!) A wall of text scares web
surfers away. Stick to the point. Use bulleted lists if you
can, they make for an easier read.
CHANGES TO CONSIDER IN YOUR EZINE:
o Describe each issue in the subject line.
I learned this lesson personally. My own readership
increased when I stopped naming each issue "BizWeb Gazette"
and started telling my readers what each issue contained,
right in the subject line. Don't wait to get your readers
attention. Grab it BEFORE they decide whether or not to open
your message. Take a few minutes to name each issue with a
subject that you yourself would be interested in. It should
be intriguing and relevant to your subscribers.
o Shorten your newsletter.
I see more and more publishers streamlining their e-
publications. In this age of information overload, less is
sometimes more. When subscribers have 100 messages waiting
in their inbox it is hard to set aside 15 minutes to read
one newsletter. Try to publish something that can be
devoured in five minutes or less. A good rule of thumb is to
keep it under 20k in size. Your readers will be more likely
to read it from top to bottom and you'll earn a faithful
following.
