© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Two things happened this week that brought my focus back to
online video and where all this hoopla will eventually take
us.

First, I read an article about Joost.com, a peer-to-peer
online TV distribution system created by the same people who
made Skype (which sold to eBay for a gazillion dollars).

Second, my wife pointed out to me last night that our TiVo
box will soon offer the option to purchase and download
movies directly from Amazon through our high-speed Internet
connection.

These two factors herald the true arrival of online video
this year!

Most people's experience with online video goes something
like this: a friend emails a link to a video on YouTube.com
or passes you a video file through your email pipeline.

The video normally contains something to make you laugh,
cry, feel inspired, shake your head in amazement, or
something else I can't mention here in a family-friendly
column.

Of course exceptions exist to every rule, but for the most
part, the vast majority of online video rates short, pithy,
home-grown, or pirated content.

Now, with the creation and impending release of the
Joost.com system and the widespread use of digital video
recorders, like the TiVo box, we will finally see online
video distribution comparable to cable TV offerings.

Joost.com will use a combination of a peer-to-peer network
along with specialized content and advertising servers to
stream high-quality video across the web.

The peer-to-peer aspect (similar to the setup used by the
original Napster, Kazaa or Lime Wire) enables the processing
power of potentially millions of computers to help stream
video, creating a distribution system that automatically
scales as the network grows.

Joost.com will also pair the social networking aspects of
successful sites like MySpace to allow users to recommend
and rate content while fostering a sense of community.

Further adding credibility, Viacom (owners of MTV, BET, and
Paramount) announced they will provide free content for the
network.

Joost also promises a "secure, efficient, piracy-proof
Internet platform that enables premium interactive video
experiences while guaranteeing copyright protection for
content owners and creators."

The second part of the equation may get you wondering over
my excitement.

After all, most cable companies offer "on-demand" content
and have done so for quite some time.

The drawback of traditional "on-demand" cable centers on the
fact that you must watch the content right then, can't
easily pause or rewind it, and must purchase it from the
cable company exclusively.

Now, I can buy video from someone other than my cable
provider, store it on a box I control, watch it whenever I
want, and pause, rewind or stop it whenever suits me.

To top it all off, the content gets delivered through the
Internet, not through my cable TV provider's system (though
it may come through their wire if I operate with cable
Internet access).

True online video arrives this year because we'll finally
have access to a distribution system with the power to bring
full-screen streaming video to your computer screen
(Joost.com) and the ability to easily purchase content over
the Internet to play on regular TV sets (TiVo and other
digital recorders).

This may just make a believer out of me that Web 2.0
represents more than just a hyped-up phrase intended to
separate another batch of online investors from their hard-
earned dollars.

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
co-creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-
step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making
videos posted online…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU To Painlessly
Create, Post and PROFIT From Your Own Money-Making
Online Videos… Without Being a Computer Geek or
Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"
=> http://www.WebsiteVideoSecrets.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    => http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

One of the greatest features of the Internet involves that fact that people enjoy a high level of freedom to express themselves.

So much so that in many countries the governments restrict and censor what people can see and say online.

Sites like MySpace.com make it easy to find like-minded people to interact with, while review sites such as Epinions.com make hard for charlatans and con-artists to escape scrutiny.

However, all this reliance on authority figures and third party references can sometimes backfire when social pressure, ignorance, and negligence align to create a distorted reality.

When this happens, bad products, poor services, or inferior ideas propagate because "everyone’s doing it" and nobody stands up for the common-sense and obvious reality - exactly like the children’s tale of "The Emperor’s New Clothes."

Now, if you don’t remember the Hans Christian Andersen tale, let me give you fast a refresher.

The Emperor decided he needed some new clothes and called in tailors from around the world.

He was so self-centered that he couldn’t see reality, and that made him an easy mark for a couple of con-artists posing as tailors (authority figures).

"Their colors and patterns, they said, were not only exceptionally beautiful, but the clothes made of their material possessed the wonderful quality of being invisible to any man who was unfit for his office or unpardonably stupid."

Thus they used fear of appearing stupid and social pressure of "everyone else sees it but me, so I’ll just keep quiet!"

Only in the end did the voice of reason come in the form of a small, innocent child who, immune to all these psychological tricks, pointed out the emperor’s naked form and brought most of the adults back to reality.

Now, how does this "children’s tale" apply to the online world?

First, because people get busy and it rates much easier to repeat what someone else said than to do your own research, myths, half-truths or downright lies get passed along without a second thought.

The more popular the idea or timely the topic, the faster it gets transmitted and the less research gets done.

The moral: if something doesn’t look or sound right to you, no matter how many authority figures claim it’s true, do your own research and check the facts.

Second, charlatans and online con-artists depend on you to get swept up in the "hype" of online promotion.

This fact drives the classic "pump and dump" scam where unscrupulous promoters tout a stock, drive up the price, then sell off their own shares before people get wise.

The moral: become extremely wary whenever people tout a product or service using hyped up promises of instant wealth or results without any real substance or proof.

Third, people will use your fear of appearing stupid or different from others to drive your behavior.

This "social pressure" is perhaps the most dangerous because it is so engrained in us that we often act because of it with no clue as to why we do things.

The moral: any time you feel pressured into buying or doing something where fear is the primary driver, take a step back and reevaluate before moving ahead.

Lack of time and the overall frenetic pace of life online make it possible for anyone to sell us our own set of "emperor’s clothes" if we don’t exercise caution.

Slow down by 10%, think for yourself, and don’t always follow the crowd (because they might just be running off the nearest cliff)!

–
Did you like this article? Want more?

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
creator of an amazing site that will teach you step-by-
step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making
business online…

"Here’s How YOU Can Cut to the Head of
The Line Every Single Month to Grab My
Cutting-Edge, Step-By-Step, Proven ‘Blueprints’
 That Make It Simple to Explode Your Traffic,
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Fatten Your Bank Account - FAST!"…

Click Here Now: http://www.TheNetReporter.com

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The next logical step for the Internet involves moving closer to interactive television.

People love to watch TV, they love to surf the web, and tens-of-millions enjoy interacting with other people on "social networking" websites like MySpace.com.

Now imagine if you could combine all of these elements people enjoy so much into a single technology which enabled you to bring together up to a thousand people in one place to teach, demonstrate, sell and interact - all without anyone leaving their home or office.

Well you can, and this technology is called a "webinar!" Though webinar technology existed for almost a decade, it remained strictly the domain of well-funded, high-tech companies.

However, as with most "killer apps" online, advances in technology now places powerful webinar capabilities within reach of virtually any business person.

Webinars enable you to make presentations to up to a thousand people or more at once using audio and video.

Though webinar technology has advanced greatly, delivering the audio and video together through the Web still lacks stability.

I’ve personally found using a telephone conference line to deliver the webinar audio much more effective than trying to stream the audio live through the Web.

As for interactivity, webinars allow you to chat live with viewers, conduct real-time surveys (polls), and see exactly which of your customers and prospects attend your live webinar.

So not only can you see exactly which of your hot prospects attend your webinar, you can chat directly with them, answer their questions live, and poll the group for valuable feedback in "real time."

Over the last few months many of my subscribers and customers have asked me basically the same question:  "What groups of people will benefit the most by using webinar technology?"

My answer: Anyone who would normally make any type of public presentation in front of a group of 2 or more people in a boardroom, meeting room, or convention center can benefit immediately by using webinars.

The following examples will help you see the power of webinars to help make sales, develop information products, and save massively on travel expenses.

- A sales person who travels all over the country giving the same presentation over and over could use webinars to make that presentation without leaving her office.

- A software developer or marketer could use webinars to demonstrate his new software and receive immediate feedback from existing or potential customers.

- A trainer could make a webinar presentation to their customers and prospects, record it, and turn it into a valuable info-product for sale or archive it as an on-demand training program.

- A speaker could create a series of paid webinars and deliver them live to customers all over the world, earning speaking fees without ever enduring airport security again.

- An affiliate marketer could use webinars to demonstrate products for vendors and earn commissions from products they didn’t even create.

Any company, large or small, that sells virtually any product or service online can benefit from adding webinars to their online marketing arsenal.

In fact, any online business person who fails to do so risks putting themselves at a serious disadvantage.

— Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist
 and the co-creator of a step-by-step, "paint by numbers"
coaching program that guarantees to teach you how to go
from zero to making real money online with your own webinars!

"Here’s the Never-Before-Released Insider Secrets to ‘New’
Technology That Massively Increases Your Sales, ‘WOWS’ Your
Customers, Blows Away Your Competition and Pumps More Cash
Into YOUR Pocket…While You Sit At Home In Your Pajamas
Having More Fun…With LESS Effort Than Ever Before!"

==> http://www.WebinarSecrets.com/special/

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Unless you live under a rock, you know by now that online video represents the hottest thing to hit the Internet since the invention of the modem.

YouTube.com reportedly receives over 65,000 video submissions every day.

Video sites crowd the TOP 10 most popular destinations online and web video frequently appears on national TV while sometimes breaking the news before the networks even know a story exists.

Despite the popularity of online video, most video sites feel like the early days of radio when it comes to user-friendly features (or obvious lack thereof).

But, have not fear, the following tools will help you drastically improve both the flexibility and enjoyment you get from online videos.

** YouTube.com In Your iPod **

Most people would agree that YouTube.com carries the largest selection of free online videos available anywhere on the Net.

Once you get past the skateboard crashes and bike wrecks, some very interesting videos can be found with a little digging.

However, unlike Google Video, YouTube.com does not offer video downloads.

Google Video enables you to download almost any video in popular formats for your Apple iPod, Sony PSP, and other compatible portable video devices.

YouTube.com requires you to stay on their site to watch the videos or view them on a site with embedded code which streams the content.

Either way, YouTube.com wants your eyeballs on a web page when you watch their videos so they can make money from advertising.

So, if you want to start watching YouTube.com videos on your desktop, iPod, PSP (or other compatible portable video device), you need a little help.

These two tools will do just that!

** DVDVideoSoft.com **

Virtually all online video sites stream their videos in FLV (Flash Video) format, a format that works very well on both PC and Mac computers over the Web.

Unfortunately, the FLV file format does not work on most portable video players, so you need a way to convert them to a file format that will work.

DVDVideoSoft.com offers a free PC software program that will convert YouTube.com videos to MP4 format for use on your iPod or other portable devices, including mobile phones.

Log onto the site, look for the link that says "FLV to iPod" (currently in the lower right corner of the front page) and follow the instructions.

I found the software simple, easy-to-use and straight to the point with an intuitive interface (that means you can figure out how to use it without reading the instructions).

** Vixy.net - Online Conversions **

Vixy.net is an online service (currently in beta) offering online video conversion for both PC and Mac since it works through a standard web browser.

Just give the site the URL of the FLV video you want to convert, choose the format you want (AVI, MP4, 3GP, MOV, or MP3 audio-only) and click the button.

Once Vixy.net finishes converting, they give you a link to download the file.

My only complaint with Vixy.net is that they "throttle" their bandwidth, so it took forever to download the converted file.

Other than that, it worked like a charm!

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
co-creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-
step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making
videos posted online…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU To Painlessly
Create, Post and PROFIT From Your Own Money-Making
Online Videos… Without Being a Computer Geek or
Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"
=> http://www.WebsiteVideoSecrets.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The great thing about the Internet is that new things come
along all the time.

Every great discovery or tool seems to spawn at least two
new things to go along with it.

In fact, the world of "cool tools" grows daily and keeping
up can represent a real challenge.

The following 3 tools rate a closer look if you want to save
time and avoid effort in a big way.

** Clipmarks.com **

Ever seen something extremely cool online that you wanted to
pass along to a friend, but you didn’t see an easy way to do
it?

Maybe you wanted to pass along a web page or share specific
text from a site, but copying and pasting into an email just
wouldn’t do it justice.

Or perhaps you saw a video that needed a friend’s attention,
but you couldn’t download it.

Or maybe you just saw something cool and wanted to save it
for yourself, but didn’t have an easy way to archive the
material.

Well log on to ClipMarks.com, download the browser toolbar
(available for FireFox and Internet Explorer) and start
clipping!

Clipmarks makes it easy to select snippets of text (up to
1000 characters), pictures, and more and then email them to
a friend, print them, or even post them to your blog.

What makes this little tool so cool is that it’s so
versatile and easy to use.

I call it a "head slapper" because you want to slap your
head and say, "Why didn’t I think of that?"

Clipmarks also helps when you surf around the Web and want
to collect up ideas on a certain topic or research subject
and then store them in an organized fashion to review and
sort through later.

** UStream.tv **

Turn your computer, Internet connection and webcam into a
live TV station that can broadcast in real time to hundreds
of people all at the same time.

Currently available for free, this service allows you to log
in and start broadcasting to the world.

UStream.tv can make a great tool for everything from holding
a family meeting to doing question and answer sessions with
customers and prospects.

Now, before you start threatening Walter Cronkite’s iconic
status in TV history, understand that, though the technology
rates high on the "cool" scale, the audio and video does not
rival TV quality.

The audio jumps and the video can cut in and out, but, if
you have any experience with online video, the quality may
actually surprise you by how well it can stream to large
numbers of people.

** TubesNow.com **

Ever tried to send huge files as attachments through email
only to have your email time out, your attachment get
blocked by a firewall, or your message just plain disappear
from the face of the earth.

Well now you can use a free program called "Tubes" to
establish a secure connection between your computer and a
friend or business associate.

Once you open up a tube (peer-to-peer connection) between
your two computers, you can transfer files simply by
dragging and dropping.

—-

Jim Edwards is the co-author of an incredible new ebook that
will teach you how to write and publish your own highly
profitable ebook in a week or less… even if you failed
high school English class!

=============================================
Why are some people getting rich selling their ebooks?
Jim Edwards and Joe Vitale have created the *ultimate* guide
     "How to Write and Publish your own Outrageously
      Profitable eBook… in as little as 7 Days!"
FREE Details: ==> http://www.7dayebook.com
=============================================

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Recently I started reading a book with a seemingly
improbable title, "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferris.

In the book, Ferris makes a number of assertions about how
we all, whether employed or self-employed, can work less and
enjoy life more through leverage.

He makes some excellent points and I’d encourage you to read
the book.

A couple of pages in the book, however, caused me to re-
think one specific activity I engage in on an almost hourly
basis -email!

Though I’ve tried to "tame" the email tiger in the past, I
always seem to slide back into the habit of whacking the
"send / receive" button every 15 minutes and getting side
tracked.

But, this book reminded me that I really need to start
living (again) by the "5 Golden Rules" I suggest for
everyone else.

Rule #1 - Only Check Email Twice Daily

It amazes me how many people tell me they go out of town or
on vacation and only check email once daily and the world
keeps on turning.

If you can do it on vacation, why can’t you do it at home?

Only check email two times daily.

I’ve chosen 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. as my times and plan to
cut that down to just once a day at 4:00 within the next 60
days.

Rule #2 - Separate Business and Personal

Operate with a different email box for both your business
and personal email.

This keeps personal crisis from spilling over into business
and vice versa.

That way if you must "cheat" a little because of a special
project, you reduce your chances of getting derailed with an
email that could have waited if you never saw it.

Rule #3 - Eliminate Customer Support Email

Never handle customer support via email, especially if you
handle your own customer support.

Always route every bit of customer support through a help
desk system that tracks each "ticket" and communication with
the customer.

Also, this enables you to manage people’s expectations about
when they’ll receive a reply since you can place hours of
operation on a help desk.

Rule #4 - Not Every Email Warrants Response

Somewhere along the line, many of us adopted the belief that
every email message needs a response from us.

NO!

If an email needs to get deleted with no response, do it and
don’t feel guilty about it.

Rule #5 - An Empty In-box Equals Bliss

Never, ever, under any circumstances leave email messages in
you in-box to handle them later.

You won’t handle them later and it just leaves you with a
general sense of uneasiness about leaving things incomplete.

At the end of the day, take one of three actions on every
message in your in-box:

1. Delete it

2. Refer it to someone else

3. File it in an email folder

Supposedly email would make all our lives better, but that
little dream train ran off the tracks for me back in 1997.

Don’t let email dictate everything from your work hours to
your general mood, or even whether you have a "good" day or
not.

Take control of email and use it as a tool, not as an excuse
to feel productive when all you really succeed at is wasting
time.

—-

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-
author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to
work less, get paid more… and have tons more fun!

"The Lazy Man’s Guide to Online Business"

==============================
Are YOU a "Lazy Achiever"?
"The Lazy Man’s Guide to Online Business"
How to Work Less, get Paid More and have
tons more Fun! Proven tips, tricks, techniques
and strategies of Superstar "Lazy Achievers"!
Click=> http://www.getmoredonefaster.com
==============================

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The world’s most popular search engine just keeps chugging
along - the little train that could (and did) make billions
of dollars and dominate the Internet landscape.

Like a giant tree with a root system extending deep into the
earth, Google seeks to expand and diversify far beyond mere
online search.

In their quest, the little elves at Google never seem to
sleep and toil endlessly to bring us new gadgets and gizmos
intended to make our lives better, both online and offline.

These four latest free offerings from Google’s Labs
http://Labs.Google.com - will help you do everything from
organize your thoughts to find the local pizza restaurant’s
phone number through your cell phone.

** Google Code Search **
http://www.google.com/codesearch

This one should have the geeks salivating like Pavlov’s dog
sniffing out a rump roast!

This new search tool at Google allows you to search for
public source code, the lines and lines of code that make
your nifty software programs actually function.

Instead of writing all the code themselves, programmers can
find and grab huge chunks of code free for the taking.

This makes a great staring point not only for programmers
who want a leg up on finishing projects, but also neat for
would-be software entrepreneurs who want to surf for ideas.

** Google Voice Local Search **
http://labs.google.com/goog411/

Ok, I’ll admit to some skepticism when I saw that Google
would help me find the number for the local barbershop just
by talking into my phone.

But Google actually surprised me when I dialed
1-800-GOOG-411.

The phone asked me to say the city and state I wanted to
search, and then asked me if I wanted to search by business
name or business category.

Once I found the business I wanted, Google went ahead and
dialed the number for me.

I found the service no worse than the automated search from
the phone company, and Google offers this service FREE.

Well worth a call if you find yourself paying some hefty 411
fees to the phone company or your wireless provider.

** Google Reader **
http://reader.google.com/

The jury is still debating whether my dear sweet mother will
ever subscribe to an RSS feed (the syndication feeds from
blogs, news services, and more), so I’m not sure how
universal RSS will ever get.

However, Google doess offer a free RSS reader online that
enables you to easily subscribe to blogs, news feeds, and
any other RSS feeds you like.

The readers lets you organize your feeds, update, and view
them all in one place.

Not as powerful as some readers you pay for, but very
functional and hey, you can’t beat free!

** Google Notebook **
http://www.google.com/notebook/

Google Noetbook is the most recent graduate of the Google
Labs.

This handy program allows you to organize your notes and
clippings as you travel the web.

Instead of just bookmarking a site in your favorites and
trying to remember why you liked it, with Google Notebook,
you can highlight what you want and click the "clip" button.

You can then organize your notes however you want and then
search through your note text at any time.

You can even share your notes with others.

Google Notebook is available through your web browser after
you download and install special extensions to help you clip
items you find on the Web.

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
creator of www.TheNetReporter.com - a hard-hitting, no-
holds-barred website that will teach you step-by-step and
click-by-click how to really cash-in online…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Discover what really works RIGHT NOW… plus the new twists
on tried and true Internet Marketing techniques that create
a profitable “real” business you can be proud of…
=> http://www.TheNetReporter.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 
We talk about surveys all the time in Internet businesses.

What purpose do they really serve?

It took me a long time and a lot of mistakes to realize
just how valuable they can prove in your Web and info-
publishing business.

How could we best describe a survey?

I like to think of them as scouts bringing back information
to you on what your customer base really wants.

In short, surveys tell you exactly what hundreds, even
thousands, of people in your market want to buy from you.

In a former life I believed in doing things the hard way
and learning (or maybe not learning) from mistakes.

Not anymore though, now I believe in doing things the smart
and fast way.

Instead of trying to figure out what people want on my own
(and losing time and money in the process), now I take
advantage of something most people in marketing still don’t
understand.

If you ask people questions the right way, most of them
will happily answer and give you the data you need for your
marketing.

In my FREE special report "Survey Riches" (available free at
http://www.ebookfire.com/surveyreport.shtml), I make the
following statement about their value.

"How any website owner can skyrocket buyer response,
shortcut product development and massively increase profits
virtually overnight using simple survey techniques".

By the way…

I didn’t write that practical report for statisticians, who
wouldn’t agree with it anyway.

If you got an A in college statistics, don’t waste your
time with this report, you couldn’t handle and profit from
its information.

Why?

Because what you know about "stats" has nothing to do with
figuring out what you should sell to customers.

What can the right kind of survey do for your business?

It can tell you the moods, wants, and needs of your
customers.

They won’t buy what *you* think they need, they will buy
what *they* think they need!

When I finally realized that, my business took off and
never slowed down since then!

At a minimum, every website owner should focus on adding 4
types of surveys to their arsenal:

1) Website "Exit" surveys
("Why are you leaving without buying?")

2) Current customer surveys

3) Leaving customers surveys

4) "Most Burning Question" surveys

Don’t make conducting your surveys complicated or
difficult. You can conduct physical surveys with your own
email program, use a script / software installed on your
site, or use a 3rd party service provider.

If you go this last route, make sure they provide fast
"real time" results with easy visual reporting.

There are four types of questions you can use in a survey:

1) Multiple choice with only one selected answer;

2) Multiple choice with pick all answers that apply;

3) Put things in order of their preference;

4) Fill in the blank.

All of these types of questions can help you find out what
they need to know in the way of offering the right products
or services to your audience.

Regardless of *what* you sell, when first starting out, you
want to design your surveys so that you can find out the
following types of information:

1) What will they buy next?

2) What do they already own?

3) What do they like / love?

4) What do they dislike / hate?

5) What do they need now?

6) What is their current skill level?

You do this by designing your survey with the following
rules in mind:

- Keep it short and sweet, just a few questions.

- Stay focused on your audience and don’t ask touchy or
private questions.

- Tell people why you want to take the survey and how you
will use the results under your strict privacy policy.

By the way, I use what I call my "Magic Survey Formula" to
get massive responses and overcome any reluctance to
respond to questions.

The "formula" basically goes like this:

1. You want to offer an immediate bribe to entice a
response.

2. Make it easy for them to respond with that knee jerk gut
reaction, no thinking, just reactions from their true
feelings.

3. Tell them up front that you are deliberately bribing
them with something worth more than the time &  trouble
they take doing the survey.

Finally, as a last check on your survey, ask yourself:

- How would you feel if you got an email asking you to take
this survey?

- Would you feel comfortable answering the questions?

If you can say yes, then go ahead and survey your audience.

Now, how do you find people to take your survey?

I use the following rule of thumb for places to take a
survey and ask people what they think about a particular
subject or product.

Go any place where they won’t accuse you of spamming or
some other suspicious or inappropriate behavior.

Your own common sense and prior experience on the Internet
should let you find those places.

They will include:
- Your own opt-in list
- Other people’s lists
- Newsgroups
- Ezines
- Exit popups on your web site
- Your auto responder
- Discussion groups
- Forums and more!

I can tell you from personal experience that if you want to
take your business to the next level, conducting surveys is
the way to do it!

Surveys help you line up a whole bunch of ready, willing
and eager customers for your product and avoid days, weeks,
months - even years - of frustrating effort *guessing* what
people want to buy!

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-
step and click-by-click how to finally create your own
money-making mini-sites…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU to Painlessly Set Up
Your OWN Moneymaking ‘Mini’ Websites… Without Being a
Computer Geek, Buying Expensive Software, or Paying
Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"

Click Here => http://www.MiniSiteCreator.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

      - © Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It rates easier than ever to start a new business on the
Internet.

Never before have the opportunities been more available,
the tools cheaper, or the prospects of success more likely.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran looking to expand an
existing online business, a casual dabbler looking for a
part-time income, or an offline professional wanting to
expand your market online, the following five key steps
will help you reach your goals.

Key # 1: Define Your "Target"

Clearly list and explain what you want to accomplish in
your web site business.

We all think about what we want to get or accomplish in
life and our job.

But did you ever list it specifically in terms of money,
traffic to a web site, or more sales online?

This principle and simple activity applies to an ebook, a
new website, an ezine or any other business goal.

Defining a clear target will give your conscious and sub
conscious mind something definite to shoot for.

Examples include: the number of subscribers to your ezine;
sales per day on your website; pages written in an ebook;
new advertising sources found; number of affiliates
recruited… and more.

Key # 2: Define the Cost"

You must "define the cost" in terms of the tools,
resources, and people you need to reach your online
business target, no matter what type of business you
operate.

How much will it cost in time per hour, per day, per week
and per month for each of these items?

Also, how much will it cost in terms of money to operate
the business, buy traffic, pay for hosting, design and
more?

Sit down and map out the costs before throwing open your
doors (or wallet) so you don’t get hit with any nasty
surprises.

Key # 3: "Make a List"

To create a real business that can be systematized, you
must list off every single thing or element connected with
your business, from the first idea to making daily deposits
into the bank when your idea bears fruit.

You may not know how they’ll all get done right now, but you
must recognize that eventually each of these items must get
done.

You can easily come up with a fairly comprehensive list by
brainstorming just to get them down on paper.

Then, when you think you thought of everything, let someone
else take a look and poke holes in your list with all kinds
of additions and questions.

Key # 4: "Prioritize"

Here you must list all the elements you planned in number 3
in the exact order of how you should complete them.

Car makers must build in a planned order, or the finished
product won’t work.

Once you sketch out your complete plan, let someone else
take a look to see if you forgot a step.

In fact, they might just point out that you forgot to tighten
the lug nuts and the wheels fell off at the dealership!

Key # 5: "One Step At A Time"

Most people want it all and they want it now!

Unfortunately, the real world doesn’t work that way.

Whether you do all the work yourself, outsource the job, or
a combination of the two, everything must get done in the
correct order in the correct way.

My motto reads, "Multi Tasking = Inefficiency!"

Don’t try to do two different jobs at the same time, you’ll
most likely screw up both and waste time and money doing
them a second time.

Doing web site copy and checking email don’t mix.

Creating auto-responder messages while checking
voice mail don’t mix.

So pass each milestone on your roadmap to get things done
properly and in sequence.

Launching an efficient and effective online business is not
difficult!

It just requires careful planning, step-by-step execution,
and attention to detail in order to greatly increase your
chances of success.
–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-step and click-by-click how to finally create your own money-making mini-sites…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU to Painlessly Set Up
Your OWN Moneymaking ‘Mini’ Websites… Without Being a
Computer Geek, Buying Expensive Software, or Paying
Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"

Click Here => http://www.MiniSiteCreator.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
    http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

One of the greatest things about the Internet means that you never run out of new things to try.

Somebody always comes up with the next greatest thing to solve the problems created by the last "next greatest thing" to hit the computing world!

These three software programs (below) rate a must-look if you ever buy a new computer, your hard drive seems sluggish, or you ever worried about the fine print on that software package you’re about to download from the Net.

Oh, and the best news, all 3 are free to try (and only 1 to buy)!

Destroy "BloatWare"
When I bought my wife’s new computer many months ago, I put off setting I up for her for almost four months.

Why?

All the "bloatware" I knew needed to get deleted off the new machine before she could use it.

I ended up uninstalling no fewer than 15 programs, including: Earthlink, AOL, Norton Ghost, Norton Anti-Virus, Google Toolbar, Office 2007 Trial, Yahoo Toolbar, Microsoft Money, Quicken, and more!

"Bloatware" refers to all the software you didn’t ask for that the computer manufacturers force-feed you on a new computer so they can churn a few extra bucks.

Aside from the security risks, the main problem with bloatware basically comes down to the fact that is slows your computer’s performance, eats up hard drive space, clogs your Windows registry, oh, and before I forget, you didn’t ask for it!

Next time you buy a new PC, consider using a free program like www.pcdecrapifier.com to remove these unwanted programs before you start loading it up with the files and software you do want.

The Ultimate De-Frag
Every savvy computer user knows you should perform basic maintenance on your PC on a regular (or semi-regular) basis.

This includes cleaning up old temp files, deleting programs you don’t use, eliminating unused desktop icons, and defragging your hard drive.

In fact, of the items just listed, defragging creates the biggest impact as far as increases in system performance and overall speed.

Unfortunately, the defrag utility that comes with Windows only does a mediocre job.

I recently used a software program called "Diskeeper Professional" from www.diskeeper.com to defrag my hard drive and found it far superior to the windows defrag utility.

After using the program my computer booted windows faster, started other programs faster, and generally lost that "sluggish" feel a computer gets after heavy use for several months.

You can use the software free for 30 days. By the way, I personally did not set up the software to run all the time, but only when I wanted it to actually defrag my hard drive.

EULAlyzer
Be honest: you don’t read those 20 page agreements that appear before you install most software.

Unfortunately, those agreements make it possible for some companies to do nasty things on your computer like serving ads on your desktop.

A free application from www.javacoolsoftware.com called "EULAlyzer" will scan EULAs (End User License Agreements) for any trouble words and bring them to your attention.

Now I wouldn’t worry too much about using it with companies like Microsoft, but would certainly run any EULA from a shareware, contest, or freebie site through the free EULAlyzer filter to look for trouble.

–
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-step and click-by-click how to finally create your own money-making mini-sites…

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU to Painlessly Set Up
Your OWN Moneymaking ‘Mini’ Websites… Without Being a
Computer Geek, Buying Expensive Software, or Paying
Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!"

Click Here => http://www.MiniSiteCreator.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-