HAVE YOU DISCOVERED WEB RINGS YET?
Increased Web Site Traffic & Free Targeted Advertising"
by Tandy Stepp, Synergy Marketing Solutions.

If you haven't heard of a webring before, you're missing
out on something big! Webrings are basically a collection
of related sites linked together in the shape of a "ring".
Navigation of the ring is simple. Visitors may click on
the "previous" or the "next" buttons to visit sites in
order, or they may "skip" around the web ring visiting
various sites in no particular order.

The benefits of joining a webring are of course, increased
traffic to your site as a result of people surfing through
the webring and free targeted advertising. Since webrings
are organized by content, you'll be able to zero in on your
target market by joining a webring appropriate to your
product, service, opportunity, or interest.

There are currently over 15,000 active webrings on the
Internet today. Topics range in scope from the "X-Files
Webring" to the "Veterans of Foreign Wars Webring" to the
"Friends of Rodeo Webring". There are also a number of
webrings dedicated solely to entrepreneurs.

Some of the business related webrings are: the "HomeBiz
Webring", the "MyLink Webring", the "Netrepreneurs' Web-
ring, and the "Homebiz Opportunities Webring".

Webrings are free to join and very simple to implement.
If you see a webring that you'd like to belong to, you
just click on the link for instructions. Usually, there
are just three simple steps to complete to get set up:

1.) Copy & Paste the html from the instructions page onto
the site you'd like to add to the webring.

2.) Fill out a simple form with your contact information,
URL, web site title, keywords, & description.

3.) Change the "mailto:you@yourdomain.com", "siteID#__",
and "this webring site is owned by___" to include your
actual information. Your site ID # will either be emailed
to you by the webring manager or it will be generated when
you fill out that simple form.

That is all there is to it folks! It's simple & free to join
a webring. A perfect example of "Synergy".

You can find examples of these entrepreneurs' webrings at
the following sites:
http://www.freeyellow.com/members/bizonline/index2.html
http://www.freeyellow.com/members/SynergyMS/index.html

If you would like to search the entire database of Webrings,
go to http://www.webring.org/ringworld/

Article compliments of Tandy Stepp, editor & publisher of
the Synergy Marketing Solutions Ezine. Free Subscriptions:
mailto:listserv@wasi.com BODY of message must contain the
words, "Subscribe SMSezine" (without quotes). Advertise
for free to our growing 100% opt-in subscription base of
entrepreneurs & opportunity seekers around the globe.

Copyright 1997 by Synergy Marketing Solutions. All Rights
Reserved.
This article may be freely copied and distributed subject
to the inclusion of this copyright notice, URL, e-mail
address, & sig file.
http://www.SynergyMS.com mailto:admin@SynergyMS.com

13 FREE WEB-BASED POWER TOOLS YOU CAN USE TO PUMP UP YOUR WEB SITE TRAFFIC.
by Thomas Bererton
<ThomasBererton@Position-It.com>

As part of my business I submit and monitor web pages/sites almost every day. To assist me in this process, and reduce the time it takes to complete, I created 13 web based tools that cover the complete submission process. One of these tools includes finding out who is linking to your site.

I've formalized all these tools and made them available as a
free resource to the web community. Feel free to use them
whenever you want! Have Fun!

A complete list of the tools and what they do follows:

*******************************
13 Free Web Based Power Tools You Can Use To Pump-Up Your Web Site Traffic

Including The:

Search Engine Generic Position Optimizer - Automatically
generates a generic plug-in HTML web page header to
improve search engine positioning with the top 7 search
engines.

META Tag Builder - Automatically builds the META tags
you need for top search engine positioning. Also allows you
to control the web site title and description used by search
engines for your pages.

Submission Description Builder - Use to create descriptions
of many different lengths required by Internet directories.
When you are done, your custom descriptions will be
automatically mailed to you.

Manual Submission File Builder - Use this all-in-one
form to advise you of the information you will need for
your submissions and to guarantee the accuracy of your
submissions.

Search Engine Robot Exclusion File Builder - Creates
generic or custom robots.txt files to prevent search engine
crawlers from indexing your pages until you are ready.

PreSubmission Checklist - Use this comprehensive checklist to achieve maximum traffic flow from submissions to Internet search engines and directories.

Submission Log File Builder- Tracks and records your
submissions as you make them. Required for verifying
submissions and optimizing traffic flow.

Top Search Engine Quick Submit - Quick Submit to the top
seven search engines, which account for as much as 95%
of the traffic flow to some web sites, using this quick
single page form.

Award Winning Master125 Free Traffic Builder - Regularly
researched and updated list of the top 125 free submission
sites on the web which will produce the most traffic in the
least amount of time.

Search Engine Submission Analyzer - Did the top seven
search engines accept your web page URL submission?
If not, you won't get any traffic! Use this page to find out.

Search Engine Keyphrase Positioning Checker - You need to be in one of the top 30 positions with the top seven search engines to get significant traffic. Use this simple one page form to find out your all important page position.

Traffic Source Checker: Who's Linking To Your Site -
It is essential to know the source of your web site traffic.
Use this page to find out what other web sites are linking
to yours.

Search Engine Page Remover - Use this single page to
quickly remove your dead pages from search engine listings
to prevent people from following dead links.

You will find all these tools at my site.
Warmly, Thomas Bererton.
Director, Internet Business Research & Development
InfoMedia Publishing Group.
POSITION-IT.COM http://www.Position-It.com/
Profit Positioning Tools For Web Businesses:
Getting & Maintaining Top Positioning With Search Engines
Accept credit cards for your web business - guaranteed
WebProfits! Forum:'Real Time' answers to web business
questions*

Over 20 Ways to "Turn-a-Profit" on the Internet!"
By Gary Christensen
(Gapach97@aol.com)

How can you make money on the Internet? What are the
ingredients, to coming up with something that people will want, and will buy from me on the Web? That's the question that I've been getting lately, so, I thought I would type out a "List of Hot Products" that you can (with very little effort) offer to others on the World Wide Web!

This is NOT to say that what you are currently offering is
NOT a Hot Product, or that THESE are BETTER products & services, only that if you are NOT making many sales, or if you are looking for something different which you can offer to others, here's a list to get you started:

A) Most everyone has; or needs, a Website. If you can do any of the following, to help with the websites of others, you will make money:

(1) Provide a Location (for a fee) where others can post
their webpage;
(2) Offer Design; Production of websites, for a fee;
(3) Offer Evaluation or Enhancements of the websites of others;
(4) Offer Consultation; sell your expertise, to others with
websites;
(5) Help with the Promotion & Publicity of other websites.

B) Everyone with a website needs customers to visit their
website. If you can offer to assist website owners with any
of the following, you will make money:

(1) Offer to "List" websites with Major Search Engines,
for a fee;
(2) Provide a list (for a fee) of major Search Engines on
the Web;
(3) Provide information on How to List with Search Engines, for a fee;
(4) Advertise websites in Newsgroups; on ListServ's, etc.
(for a fee);
(5) Charge a fee to place advertisements about the websites
of others.

C) Everyone with a website may need assistance with:

(1) Writing Advertisements. For a fee, help others compose
ads, directing visitors to their websites;
(2) Getting Publicity. Help website owners with promotion
of their website.
(3) Placing ads, in e-zines; or on various Free Ad Sites on
the Web.

D) Information which only YOU can provide to others on the Net:

(1) Show How to locate the information required, for a fee;
(2) Provide the Information, already gathered, for a price;
(3) Give Instructions; Consultation; Guidence in the best use of same.

E) Charge others, by showing them how to more effectively
use E-mail.

(1) Guidence in Promoting websites through the use of E-mail;
(2) Charge them to distribute website location via e-mailings;
(3) Promote THEIR website in each of YOUR e-mails, for a fee;
(4) Start an E-zine, to promote your website;
(5) Help others start an E-zine, to promote your
website (for a fee);
(6) Sell advertising space within each issue of YOUR E-zine;
(7) Sell Subscriptions to a regularly issued, electronically
distributed e-zine!

These are just a few ideas I wrote down for you, to get you
thinking! YOU can think of other products or services that
other people on the Net might need. Try to offer something
of value to website owners; something which this group of
people would want or need.

Do YOU have a website? What do YOU need? Write down
everything you can think of that YOU need! Now, is there
some way that YOU can provide what other owners like yourself need? Get the word out; tell others about what YOU can do to help them! Help enough people, and charge a fee for all you do, and you will be making money on the Internet!

(This article was written by Gary Christensen, a freelance
Writer and Self-Published Author of 8 Books & over 100
original articles. Gary's newest article, "The Best Sites
where you can Post Information about YOUR Website for Free!"
PLUS his "HomeMoney Newsletter" are both FREE for the asking
at: Gapach97@aol.com. Ask for his latest article by regular
mail: Gary Christensen, 999 N.W. Sycamore Ave., Corvallis,
OR 97330. See his site:
http://www.homeincome.com/writers-connection/ )

Promoting Your Web Site
by Kari Sable Burns

Your web site is perfect, an artistic and informative
representation of the best your business offers.

Where on the World Wide Web are your clients going to
find you?

Have you registered with search engines and directories?
Registering with search engines and directories is necessary,
but it is not marketing.

Clients searching for "Internet Marketing" will pull up
thousands of listings with a keyword search. The possibility
that my site will be seen out of all the listings is not
significant enough to keep me in business. If they are
looking specifically for my business, by name, spelled
correctly, a search engine or directory listing will help
them locate my URL, but if they are searching with a common
keyword term the chance of our web sites making the top 100
entries are about 15000 to 1, if we're lucky.

Considering the amount of time it takes for search pages to
load, the limited descriptions allowed, the length of time
to check out the URL's the average surfer either goes with
the first few businesses they find or they throw up their
hands in frustration and give up entirely.

Attract clients to your site?
After you have registered with major search engines and
directories, your next step is writing a media release to
announce your arrival and create an interest in your business.
Submissions are not limited to Internet media.

Your site could be of interest in your local area, business
news or civic organizations.

Search the Net for your local media listings. Newspapers,
radio and TV stations often have e-mail addresses for
submitting media releases.

Direct your releases to media sources relevant to your scope
of business. (in other words if your web site is about
restoring Mustangs you don't need to send media releases to
the gourmet or medical media.) Address the release to the
correct reporter or desk (this is very important).

Reporters receive stacks of media releases each day, make
it clear, interesting, brief with information the media
requires, "who," "what," " when," "where," "why" and sometimes
"how," in the opening?

Do some research on writing media releases. Every thing you
need to learn to master the art is right online. Writing
effective media releases is something business professionals
should become proficient at. Only use the acceptable standard
format for writing media releases. Write and rewrite until
clear, concise and engaging. If you are available for
interviews, include that information in your release.
Attach a profile or a "bio" This is about you, your
credentials and background.

Media releases, search engines and directory listings give
you a foundation to start publicizing your presence. Now it's
time to start some serious online marketing ...

Ask yourself, "where on the Internet will my leads come from?"

Due to the voluminous amount of rapidly expanding and changing
data that defines the Internet, information is managed by
processes of categorization designed to make this data
accessible. The beauty of marketing through the Internet is
the virtually unlimited opportunities to reach niche markets
and the masses targeting.

Working the Threads
The best method for developing a memorable Net presence is
through discussion lists. There are thousands of different
groups and mail lists from the highly specialized to those
that are completely free flowing. Postings to these lists
reach a large audience. Many web sites are now offering their
own message boards to stimulate topical interaction between
web visitors. E-mail discussion lists are an excellent source
of leads.

Subscribe to the lists, familiarize yourself with the FAQs,
rules and posting style of the group before your first public
post.

To market your business through a discussion group effectively,
it is recommended that your web site feature informative
articles, resource lists, and tips. Post a message to relevant
discussion groups announcing articles, tips, or resources being
featured on your site. Change your content regularly, each
content addition or change warrants a discreet public plug.

Do not cross post, send your announcement to one list at a
time. Many people and some Newsgroups filter out cross
postings. Don't post a message that looks like a bunch of
hype, such as the overuse of caps, exclamation marks or
grandiose claims. It looks like Spam and most likely will
be regarded as such.

If it's not possible or you don't feel comfortable writing
your own copy, link to a site that provides information or
education basics in your field or offer a page of resources
and tools. If you write but don't have the ability to make
changes or add content to your site, post your article on
the discussion lists with your SIG displayed.

Many discussion lists are associated with web sites.
Contribute an article or volunteer work for a byline with
your URL and see if you can exchange a link.

To create a positive and powerful business presence on
discussion groups, be helpful and friendly. If someone
is looking for information or assistance and you are able
to help, do so, by all means. Lending friendly assistance
while wearing your SIG proudly, is the best online Public
Relations strategy I know of.

Be a friend
When you post publicly, your SIG advertises to hundreds,
if not thousands, of people. This is the single most
effective system of networking on the Internet. You establish
a presence and develop a network. Networking among Internet
professionals is alive and thriving.

Spam, Flames and Competitors
A savvy business person promotes their service and products
without blatant, in your face, billboard style messages. If
you have recently shared information about your services,
on the open group, respond to following leads for your
services. Mass mailed messages to private e-mail, Usenet or
Mail Discussion lists is considered Spam. If you are Spam
you will be permanently filtered out of many in-boxes and
your professional reputation on the Internet will be
darkened in the most profound of ways.

Flames are a public confrontation. There are people out
there seething with anger and frustration. They apparently
have plenty of time on their hands and not much to lose.
You do have much to lose by responding. So just don't. Not
even to defend assaults or accusations. Be prepared to be
accused of being labeled a "nazi" or "moron" and just about
any other offensive title possible for even the most innocent
remarks. Let it slide, you are a business professional online
and you are known for your words and reactions. Quotes become
misattributed and you don't want your good name posted under
tangled threads.

Be your competitors friend! Go out of your way to be congenial
and helpful to your competition. NEVER speak ill of competitors.

My competitors sent me my first business on the Internet! Now
I'm sending them business. Self employment is often feast or
famine. A strong referral network of aligned professionals
can help even out the work load. Make it worth other
professional's time to send business your way. I reward
my "finders" liberally. Consider how time consuming marketing
and searching for leads can be. Referrals are pure gold. I
want to do anything I can to keep them coming!

Webs, Guest books, Links, Rings, Banners
The web offers endless opportunities for free advertising.
Target your audience. Establish a connection with sites that
offer complimentary services. For Internet Marketing, I contact
site providers, designers, producers, and new web businesses.
I also market off-line in my own geographical area, so I look
for business web sites within my community.

Visit your competitor's sites. See what they are offering and
how it is being presented. Sign the guest book or send them an
e-mail and say something nice.

Signing a guest book is like handing out a business card,
only better. Guest book entries deserve a reciprocal visit
to their site and a reply. Always reply to any person showing
interest, offering help or just being friendly. Respond to
everything except flames.

Guest books entries are open for viewing and many people do.
Set time aside each day for signing guest books on web sites
offering services or products related to yours or who target
the same clientele. Don't just leave your e-mail and URL. Tell
them what you really liked about their site, the articles, the
graphics, links the format, etc. Briefly share something about
yourself.

When you see a site you would like to link with, send an
e-mail asking permission and explaining why you are feel
a link is good idea. Sites with link collections often
include information and forms to facilitate your listing.

A plethora of web marketing innovations have been developed
to make doing business on the web more convenient for the
client and beneficial for business, such as malls, web rings
and reciprocal banner programs. These can be very effective.
You will need to carefully evaluate these programs to determine
which would benefit your business and serve your clients best.

Every marketing strategy above is FREE. There are so many free
marketing sources available online that you are only limited
by your time. If business is slow, spend your time marketing
yourself! When business picks up don't forget to keep marketing,
even if means paying someone to do it for you.

Breads Cast Upon the Waters
If you want to be successful in business you better be
successful as a friend. Not just a friend long enough to
attempt to sell your product, but sincerely a person who
genuinely likes and cares about others. If you don't enjoy
socializing hire someone that does to represent your company.
These contacts do pay off. If you want to be known online, you
want to be known in the positive sense.

If you are sincerely interested in helping others you have
the best marketing profile there is, especially on the Internet.
_____________
Kari -Marketing, Copywriting, Consultations, Training, Seminars,
Trade Shows, Research and Grant Proposals. Over 20 years
experience. An Internet business since 1994.
http://www.olywa.net/kari
mailto:kari@olywa.net

THE HEAT IN HOTLINKS
by John C. Ebert

Our company's marketing strategy revolves around Web marketing
in a big way, but the single most powerful tool to have netted
us results has been the building of hotlinks into related web
sites of vendors. As an Internet telephony service, our
business revolves around the selling of long-distance talk
time or credits, much in the way one would purchase a $10,
$20 or $50 phone card. In test launching our software,
Conductor, which enables a PC user to make calls to any
telephony device anywhere in the world, we garnered almost
800 software downloads in the first month, with virtually
no advertising other than the Web. However, the initial
sign-up in percentage terms was under 10%! Although, our
service guaranteed superior voice clarity and white noise
reduction against our competition, a piece of the puzzle
was missing.


By the second month, we had worked up a number of strategic
partnerships with vendors of Internet telephony accessories.
We established vendor hotlinks to our site. These provided
users with the hardware they needed to assemble what our
company coined, the Internet Phone Voice Station concept.
This included sound cards, quality headsets, microphones/
speakers and even handsets. By month end, we had a
significantly higher number of downloads but the percentage
sign-up was approaching 20%, a doubling of the rate of
accounts opened! Upon analysis of our server logs and
general feedback from customers, we were able to understand
more clearly why this had happened. There were essentially
three reasons, all stemming from the hotlinks we built for
our vendor partners.


(1) A Holistic Solution Focussing only on the sale of
our services blinded us from the needs of our customers.
There were hardware requirements that greatly multiplied
the capability of our service. A full duplex sound card
with white noise reduction, or a supersensitive headset
that performed at twice the capacity at half the cost of
similar headsets, were examples of helping your customer's
accessory needs and bank book. We basically re-organized
our web site to direct and educate customers on all possible
accessories they might need, even linking our sites directly
into order pages prepared specifically by our vendors for
customers' orders.


(2) Mutual Promotion Edification of our service by the
vendors who had tried and tested our software to their
satisfaction before entering a strategic partnership, was
a great confidence booster! Moreover, that edification was
mutual. Not only did we ensure that customers knew where to
go for accessories, but they were directed to companies
whose products we could stand by. We used every one of our
vendors' products before we started to promote them.



(3) The Synergy of Size Despite hotlinking with our
vendors, we were never resellers of the telephony
accessories. In fact, on more than a couple of occasions,
we ended up connecting our vendors directly with overseas
agents and resellers of our services, thereby solving vendor
issues of shipping costs. However, the genuine effort made
by all parties to ease the customer's concerns and direct
them in a convenient fashion, and this commitment to
reciprocate support created a larger-than-life image of
corporate size and stability. The sum of the parts was
indeed greater than the sum of the whole.



The long and short of the situation was that every company
needs friends. Customers can more readily trust five or six
companies working in tandem instead of just one singing its
own praises. This is nothing new, but in practice, it is
still a little applied concept.

Article by: John C. Ebert, Marketing Director. Pairit.com
Pairit.com is a global provider of business and personal
communications for long distance calling over the Internet.
Based out of Walnut Creek, California, pairit.com, provides
the industry's first end-to-end Internet telephony solution
to its customers and partners worldwide through its own
virtual network enabled gateways.
To contact, call (510)944-8937 or fax (510)943-2970.
Email: mailto:jcebert@pairit.com.  Web site: http://www.pairit.com

.

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