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99 useful website adresses
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99 useful Websites
INTRODUCTION:
These “99 Websites” appeared as SiteSightings in my “Webs Worth Watching”
Newsletter. In case you don’t know, a SiteSighting is any website that provides REAL
VALUE to online business owners. In short, it’s the kind of site that’s worthy of a
bookmark.
To get the full story on SiteSightings and the “Webs Worth Watching” Newsletter, be
sure to visit:
--> http://www.SiteSightings.com
And while you’re there, remember to subscribe to “Webs Worth Watching”. It’s the
only way to ensure that you never miss another SiteSighting or “From the Trenches”
tip like the ones below...
1. Doteasy Web Hosting
http://www.doteasy.com
Free, bannerless web hosting...'nuff said. The only complaint I have is that
reliability is not up to par with the paid hosts, but then again, what do you expect
-- IT'S FREE! While I wouldn't use it to host my main site, it's great for testing
mini sites and new products.
2. Link Counter
http://www.linkcounter.com
LinkCounter is a free service that tracks clicks on any link you want to track, from
inside, outside, or within your site itself. It's a great way to track affiliate
programs and link exchanges, or to create referring links for sites you trade
traffic with. They provide you with an unbiased report that you can use to keep
track of your outgoing and incoming hits.
3. Security Metrics
http://www.securitymetrics.com
Worried about your own site's security? Afraid you might be vulnerable to
hackers? Don't wonder -- find out! Security Metrics will give your computer a
"FREE Port Scan" where it will test for the 20 most common TCP/IP ports that are
often vulnerable. If you're like me, the results will surprise you.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 3
4. S.C.O.R.E.
http://www.score.org
S.C.O.R.E stands for the Service Corps of Retired Executives, and they pride
themselves on being the Counselors to Americas Small Business. In effect,
S.C.O.R.E. is a non-profit group that offers FREE counseling to anyone who has,
or is thinking about starting, a small business. I've utilized their trained
counselors on numerous occasions, and have been grateful every time.
5. Spyonit
http://www.spyonit.com
Spyonit has dozens of FREE spy tools that allow you to keep tabs on all the sites
and auctions that matter most to you. (Including your competition's.) There's too
much there to describe it all, so go to the site now to check it out. They're also
adding new "spies" fairly frequently, so check back often. Who knows what they'll
come up with next?
6. TracerLock
http://www.tracerlock.com
TracerLock is another "spy" type tool that monitors search engines, UseNet
groups, and personal ads for whatever word or phrase you tell it to. It's great for
keeping tabs on the competition, and seeing what others are saying about you or
your business. They have both a FREE and a paid service, so check it out.
7. ScumWare
http://www.scumware.com
If you've been keeping up with software or e-biz news, then you've no doubt
heard of the controversy surrounding traffic stealing software such as Top Text
and Surf+. This site is dedicated to eradicating the world of such thieves. It will
tell you if your computer is currently "infected", and give you some lines of code
that will disable the traffic thieves when they "invade" your site.
8. Trafficoloy
http://www.trafficology.com
This is easily my new favorite newsletter. Trafficology's creator, Wayne Yeager,
gives away literally THOUSANDS of dollars each month for new and creative
traffic generating ideas. He then turns around and gives these ideas to his
subscribers for FREE. I've been receiving the newsletter for a few months now,
and I have yet to be disappointed. While some of the ideas are WAY too crazy for
me to EVER try, the newsletter is *always* entertaining, and often useful.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 4
9. Onebox
http://www.onebox.com
Onebox is an incredibly low-cost service (I believe I pay around $10 a month for
it) that provides you with an email address, a fax number, and voice mailbox --
all in one place! If you're just starting out and you need a phone service, but
don't want to pay hefty charges to your local phone company, this could be an
ideal solution.
10. FreeAutoBot
http://www.freeautobot.com
If you've been holding off on purchasing an autoresponder service because you’re
not willing to pay a monthly fee, you should consider taking a look at
FreeAutoBot. Not only are they FREE, but they also don't place *any* ads in your
messages and they allow an UNLIMITED amount of messages AND subscribers.
EDITOR’S NOTE: I used this service in the early days of my business, but later
upgraded to a paid one for the increased options and support. Here’s my final
word on these free autoresponder services: If you simply cannot afford to spend
$10 or $15 a month for a paid service, then a free one such as FreeAutoBot will
work. However, your list is the most important aspect of your business, so as
soon as you can afford to switch to a paid service with a little more
accountability, I would make the change.
And if you are in the market for a low cost, *advanced* autoresponder service,
I’d check out AutorespondIt. Here’s the URL: http://www.AutorespondIt.com
11. Web Site Garage
http://www.websitegarage.com
I was timid to include this site as a SiteSighting, for fear that it was already too
well known. The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized that this
site is just too valuable to not feature it in this newsletter. I feel that strongly
about it.
Web Site Garage provides services for maintaining and improving your website. It
has a Free Tune Up feature, which checks your site for things like browser
compatibility, load time, meta tags, and more. The tune up is free, so if you have
a site, it's well worth your time to give this one a look.
12. PopUpMaster
http://www.popupmaster.com
When the owner of this site, who is also a member of the SiteSightings
community, submitted it as a SiteSighting, I knew right away that it would make
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 5
it into the newsletter. Popup creators are a dime a dozen on the web, but this
one is the best I've seen by far.
It allows you to create all kinds of pop-ups, from standard ones, to exit-pops,
and even pop-ups that use cookies so they only pop-up once per session. You
just type in your specifications and click submit, and PopUpMaster does the rest.
Best of all you can use it over and over again and never pay a thing. I even used
it to create the pop-ups on my own site! Trust me, this one's a winner. Check it
out.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This tool was completely free when I first ran the site in my
newsletter, but since then the site’s owner, Steve Shaw, has totally repackaged
and improved the software and has started charging for it. While it’s no longer
the free resource that it once was, I still feel that the product is well worth the
price.
For software that really puts a *spin* on pop-up marketing, be sure to check out
my own product, Pop-Up Rotator. Here’s the link: http://www.PopUpRotator.com
13. Translating the Internet
http://www.t-mail.com
If you do a lot of business with people from other countries, or if you just have
friends that speak another language, T-Mail could be just the thing for you.
They give you a FREE email account and it translates your incoming foreign
language email into English. It also allows you to surf the web in foreign
countries in English.
I realize this won't apply to everybody, but for those of you who do a lot of
business outside of your native land, it could very well be a Godsend.
14. Free Email Directory
http://www.emailaddresses.com/guide_types.htm
Want your business to go international? This is the best place I've found to get
email addresses around the world. Think globally, appear local. It has a few popups,
but hey, somebody has to pay the bills.
15. Yale's Web Style Guide
http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/contents.html
This is the definitive web style guide covering everything that has to do with site
and page design. If you're new, this site can be a great place to learn the basics.
And if you're an experienced designer, this site is a great place to review the
basics and polish your skills.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 6
16. Self Promotion.com
http://www.selfpromotion.com
The World Wide Web is littered with sites that want to tell you the best way to
get your site listed in the major search engines. Search engine auto-submitters
are also a dime a dozen, so it may surprise you to know that that's exactly what
this site is all about.
The thing that sets this site apart, however, is this sentence (which can be found
on the site's homepage): "If you feel the site is useful, then pay me what YOU
think the advice and service is worth!"
That's right! The site owner actually offers access to his research, services, and
programs for FREE! You only pay him what you think it's worth. A deal like that is
certainly worth a look, wouldn't you agree?
17. World Submit Pro
http://www.worldsubmitpro.com
Here's another useful site for you webmasters out there. World Submit Pro offers
many useful services for free, with the hopes that you'll upgrade to their paid
services at a later date.
They currently offer FREE versions of their Webstats program (which is basically
an advanced counter), a Mailing List program and a Web Polls program that’s
great for researching new product ideas.
These are some of the most robust free trials I've ever seen for products such as
these. If you're currently paying for any of these services, you could save some
money by checking them out.
18. Coach Maria's Article Bank
http://www.coachmaria.com/articles/articlebanks.html
While I can't speak for Maria's consulting abilities (I've just never met her or
heard anything about her), I can say that this is one of the best compilations I've
seen of places to submit NEW articles. Some business owners have achieved
maximum exposure by utilizing these free article submission sites. Hey it's worth
a shot right?
19. QWK.MON
http://www.qwkmon.com
QWK.MON will monitor your site's server to make sure that they don't have too
many downtimes. The fact of the matter is that server downtimes cost websites a
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 7
LOT of money. Don't let your e-business be one of these. Let QWK.MON keep
tabs on your server when you can't.
(Just so you know, the first URL you have them monitor is free, but it'll cost you
if you want more sites monitored.)
20. Cheap Domains and $8.88 Domains
http://www.CheapDomains.ws
http://40megs.com/888.html
Domain name registrars are everywhere on the net, but this site has some of the
lowest prices that I've ever seen. Just imagine, less than $10 for a little piece of
Internet real estate...amazing! It makes Register.com and Network Solutions
look like a couple of highway robbers. :-)
I for one have already purchased dozens of domains through from both of these
registrars.
21. ScamBusters
http://www.ScamBusters.org
The submitter of this SiteSighting claims that it's the #1 site on Internet fraud.
Well after visiting the ScamBusters site and signing up for their newsletter,
I'm inclined to agree.
I think my favorite part of the site is the Urban Legends section. If you've ever
received an email about anti-perspirant causing cancer or some kid who needs a
kidney transplant, (which I think all of us have) then I'm sure you'll appreciate it
as well.
22. Seed Capital Network
http://www.SeedCapitalNetwork.com
The Seed Capital Network is a great place for businesses trying to raise start up
money. With a database of over 1,500 private investors, the owners of this site
boast that they have an 80-90% investor response rate.
If your business has all the money that it will ever need, then this site is not for
you. If you're trying to locate a few investors, however, it could just possibly be
the most useful site in this report. And hey, it's free, so what do you have to
lose?
23. 123 Dreamweaver Tutorial
http://www.121DreamweaverTutorial.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 8
This one is for all you current or prospective Dreamweaver users out there. (For
those of you who don't know, Dreamweaver is one of the best WYSIWYG HTML
editors on the market. I've used it for years and love it.)
Don't let the name fool you - this is not your normal web design tutorial site.
Instead of text-based tutorials, this site offers actual video tutorials for FREE.
Watch as a profession web designer builds a site from the ground up right before
your eyes. I have no idea how they can afford to give this stuff away, but be sure
you take them up on it while they still do.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This tool was completely free when I first ran the site in my
newsletter, but since then the site’s owner has started charging for it. The good
thing about it, however, is that he does still allow you to view some videos free of
charge and so you can decide if it’s worth it to you to pay for it.
24. Pay Per Click Analysts
http://www.PayPerClickAnalyst.com
Pay per clicks are a great way to bring targeted traffic to your site, because you
only pay when someone actually visits your site. It's a great idea, but now it's
been copied so many times that it's impossible to keep up with which ones are
worth getting listed in, and which ones you should avoid.
That's what makes Pay Per Click Analyst such a useful site. They keep tabs on all
the new PPCs and tell you which ones are the best. If you're serious about
marketing your online business, then this is one website that you need to have
bookmarked.
25. Speed Color
http://www.speedcolor.com
SpeedColor.com is a whole new way to order commercial printing. With this site,
you can get anything from business cards to books printed quickly and easily.
They offer instant online pricing, file transfers, proofs and more, all done over the
web. This makes them extremely fast and easy. If you need anything printed,
Speed Color is a great option.
26. Free Web Tools, Web Builder 101, and The Free Site
http://www.FreeWebTools.com
http://www.WebBuilder101.com
http://www.TheFreeSite.com
These sites are so closely related that I decided to just include them together as
one SiteSighting. Each one of them offers free tools for webmasters and online
business owners, so between the three you should be able to find something
immediately useful to your business.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 9
27. Setup Generator
http://www.gentee.com/setupgen/index.htm
It seems like creating your own software product is the new hip thing to do, so I
decided to include a SiteSighting that would directly benefit all you Bill Gates' out
there.
Basically, Setup Generator is a simple freeware installer, designed to help you
quickly and easily create installation setup files for your products. Not only does
it make the installation process easier on your customers, it also adds a touch of
professionalism to your product. Who wouldn't want that?
28. Hosted Scripts.com
http://www.hostedscripts.com
This site provides a lot of great cgi scripts for webmasters free of charge. And the
best part is that they host them on their own servers so you don't have to know
how to install cgi or even have it enabled on your server. The only downside is
that they place ads on the pages that they host for you, but hey, they have to
earn a living somehow. :-)
29. CJB.net
http://www.CJB.net
If you're using a long affiliate URL in your promotions, or have an email account
that you'd like to get forwarded to your main one, then CJB.net may have just
what you need.
They offer free sub-domains, as well as URL and email forwarding, which makes
it more than worthy enough to hold a space in my favorites bar. The only
downside is that you have the cjb.net ending on your URL, but it's still shorter
than some of the affiliate links out there.
30. FreeMarketingVideos.com
http://www.freemarketingvideos.com
Every week this site puts up a new video that covers some aspect of web
marketing. So far they've covered how to make and ebook, how to setup
autoresponders, and how to make digital product covers for your products. And
when you consider it's all free, it's definitely worth a bookmark in my book.
31. Who-Not How Review
http://who-nothow.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 10
If you're sick of review sites that are really just people trying to sell their latest
affiliate product, then Gordon Sears’ Who-Not How site and "Guru Review"
newsletter will be a breath of fresh air.
Gordon isn't afraid to go after even the "big-boys" on the Internet (which he
admits has got him into trouble before), but it certainly adds to his credibility in
my book. I'd be sure to take a look at his site before you buy your next product.
32. Publicity Insider
http://www.publicityinsider.com
Even though this site sells a product, it still has a whole lot of free info on how to
get quality PR for your business. And as a person who recently benefited from an
online news article, I can tell you that it's quite possibly the best form of
advertising you'll ever see.
33. GoToMyPC.com
http://www.GoToMyPC.com
I just have to say that I love this service. It's not free, but it sure is convenient!
Imagine being able to access your home computer from any other computer with
an internet connection. You can travel with confidence and know that if worse
comes to worse, you'll always be able to get that file you forgot, or send that
email that just can't wait. It's great!
34. Best Affiliate Tracking Software.com
http://www.Best-Affiliate-Tracking-Software.com
If you plan on starting your own affiliate program, I would make it a point to visit
this site first. They'll help you choose the software or service that's right for you,
and give you some useful tips along the way.
35. ePrompter
http://www.eprompter.com
ePrompter will check up to 16 of your password protected email accounts
automatically as well as reply to, compose and even forward messages.
Depending how many accounts you have, and how often you check them, this
little tool could easily save you hours a day.
36. MySiteStinks.com
http://www.mysitestinks.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 11
It's not cheap, but if your site isn't pulling the kind of results that you'd like, this
site may be able to tell you why. Check it out for yourself and find out if your site
STINKS!
Side Note: They also have a tool to tell your friends that their sites stink. I
wouldn't be mean with it, but it could be a good joke if your friend has a sense of
humor.
37. Vista Print
http://vistaprint.com
A lot of people already know about this site, but it's certainly worth mentioning
again, just in case. I don't know how they can afford to do it, but Vista Print will
give you 250 free, color business cards.
You'll have to pay for the shipping, but the quality is superb, and you really can't
beat the price. If you haven't been to this site, be sure to check it out right away.
38. Click Tracker
http://www.webmasterinabox.net/ct/
This web site offers a free link and click tracking services, and even the pro
version is ridiculously cheap. I especially like the fact that their software allows
you to have your own domain in tracking URLs instead of the link tracker's URL.
39. Safe Internet Business Solutions
http://www.safeinternetbusiness.com
Scams are everywhere on the internet, but this site provides a haven from bad
business practices.
Their mission is to provide safe Internet business solutions that offer high quality,
free or low cost products, services and information; all backed by excellent
customer service and a money back guarantee.
Their services include copywriting, web design, website analysis, domain and web
hosting solutions. If you're in the need of any of these services, I would make a
point of checking them out first.
40. PageSucker.com
http://www.PageSucker.com
This product will "suck" an entire webpage on to your hard drive so you can read
it off-line. It's great for people who use dial-up connections, and best of all it's
totally free.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 12
41. StatsFly
http://www.StatsFly.com
Here's an easy, copy and paste script that will give you more web site stats than
you will ever be able to use. It's free if you don't mind the whole world being able
to see your stats. Or you can pay $10 a month and have your stats page
protected. (That's what I'd suggest. )
42. RefDesk.com
http://www.RefDesk.com
The submitter of this site said, "Think of something you want to know. It's there!"
And you know what...he was right. :-) This site will help you find anything from
people, to your local weather, to just about any other random fact that you could
find the answer to anywhere else. Check it out if you need to do some product
research.
43. FILExt
http://www.FILExt.com
How many times have you downloaded something only to have your computer
tell you that it didn't recognize the file type? You then try to open it using the
"Open As" feature, but even you don't know what the file extension stands for.
That's where a site like FILExt comes in hand. FILExt has just about every
software extension listed so you can easily do a search on your "mystery file".
44. Hostica
http://www.Hostica.com
I admit that I didn't have time to check this site out, but the submitter claims
that they'll give you a domain free of charge without forcing an ad or banner on
the site. They're site also offers web hosting at $0.25 a month, but like I said I
haven't tested them. With prices like those, however, it may be worth checking
out if you're on a shoestring budget.
45. MailWasher
http://www.MailWasher.net
The submitter of this SiteSighting claims that it has made his life better again by
allowing him to manage all the spam. I haven't personally tested it out, but since
it's free I'd say it's worth giving it a shot it you're like me and you receive a lot of
spam.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 13
46. TurboNotes
http://www.TurboNotes.com
I've previewed free list hosts that are also ad free in this report before (see #10),
but this one seems to have more features than anything else I've come across. I
also like the fact that you can upgrade to a Pro account for only $47 a year and
get even more features. If you're in the market for a list hosting solution, I'd give
them look.
But if you’re in the market for a truly low cost, *advanced* autoresponder
service, I’d check out AutorespondIt.
47. Ezine Ad Auction
http://www.EzineAdAuction.com
Ezine advertising is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to get the word out
about a product or service. This site allows you to bid for ultra-cheap ad rates in
a wide assortment of newsletters. If you're serious about marketing online, then
this site is one that you need to have bookmarked.
48. Site Viewer
http://www.anybrowser.com/siteviewer.html
Sites created for one browser type can very often look horrible when viewed
through other browsers. This site allows you to avoid such embarrassment by
"viewing your own site as your visitors do." I'd make it a point of testing out your
website using this tool before launching any new sites.
49. WebAssist
http://www.webassist.com
Give your ecommerce site PayPal functionality without having to touch a line of
code. PayPal is one of the most popular payment processors online so by
including them as a method of payment could very well increase your sales in
and of itself.
50. Keyword Wizard
http://www.keywordwizard.com
There are a lot of sites out there that help you choose keywords for your site, but
the thing I love about this one is that the program is downloadable. That means
you don't have to get online or leave your site every time you want to do a little
keyword research.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 14
It's a great tool for you search engine junkies out there. :-)
51. Query Server News Search
http://www.queryserver.com/news.htm
When I saw that this SiteSighting had been submitted by my friend Phil Wiley of
http://www.ozemedia.com/, I knew it had to be good...
And boy was I right! Query Server News Search is a meta search engine that
queries the following sources: ABC News, BBC News, CNN, The Financial Times,
The Guardian, The Independent, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times,
The Washington Post, and USA Today. Results are sorted by date and then score,
and are optionally clustered by content.
If you're looking for specific news, this is the place to find it. They also have
specific searches for health, money and government issues.
52. Boogie Jack
http://www.boogiejack.com
BoogieJack has a lot of terrific information. One amazing little program is called
Background Magic. This awesome little tool will create your buttons, borders,
background - even skins and screen savers. There is a free version and a PRO
version. Works like a charm.
53. Fresh Devices
http://www.freshdevices.com
Here's another site with some nifty utilities for you PC users out there. (Sorry
Mac users.) They offer free utilities that help you optimize and diagnose your own
system. If your computer seems to be getting slower over time, their products
may be worth trying.
54. Courses U Seek.com
http://www.coursesuseek.com
Courses U Seek.com is the one of the first educational website to offer affordable
courses by email. Courses are offered on a variety of subjects including – Online
Marketing, eBook Writing, Web Design etc. All of the courses are under $10, and
some are totally free. It's worth checking out, because as all 4th grade teachers
tell us, "Knowledge is power!" :-)
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 15
55. People Building People
http://www.PeopleBuildingPeople.com
Even though this SiteSighting is not free, I couldn't help but include it in here
because I think it is truly one of the most valuable resources on the Internet.
Rick Beneteau, the site's founder, is an online legend in his own time - and for
good reason.
I am a member of PBP and an affiliate, but I am NOT including my affiliate link so
that you know my recommendation is sincere and not motivated by an affiliate
commission.
56. eFax
http://efax.com
This is a great service, especially for companies based outside of the USA who
want a US based phone number. It is free and allows people to either leave a
short message or to fax you. Messages and faxes are delivered right to your
email box. Easy!
57. c2it
http://www.c2it.com
Here's a great alternative to PayPal if you need to send money to someone (even
overseas). Best of all it's FDIC insured and they have 24 hour, live customer
support.
58. 404 Research Lab
http://www.plinko.net/404
For those of you who don't know, file 404 errors occur when you try to go to a
webpage that no longer exists in a particular location. This is a fun site that
shows you the do's and don'ts of creating 404 pages, and how you can even
profit from them. Most of all it's fun!
59. Free Advice.com and Legal Zoom
http://www.freeadvice.com
http://www.legalzoom.com
Both of these sites are legal in nature so I decided to group them together. Free
Advice.com is just what it sounds like it would be , and Legal Zoom has
some of the cheapest legal rates I've seen. If you plan to setup an LLC or
incorporate your business at some point, I would check them out. They also offer
excellent rates on patent and copyright applications.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 16
60. Cool Archive's Logo Generator
http://www.coolarchive.com/logogen.cfm
If you're just starting out and you need a nice looking logo, this could be a great
solution for you. Granted, it's no where near as nice as a professional's work, but
what do you expect...it's free!
61. RoboForm
http://www.roboform.com
If you're familiar with Gator then you already know how this little tool works.
Basically, RoboForm helps you fill in website forms and can store your usernames
and passwords. The great thing about RoboForm over Gator, however, is that
RoboForm does not place any annoying ads on your system...a nice feature in the
constant battle against scumware.
62. HelpOnThe.Net
http://www.helponthe.net
Totally free tech support for all your computer related questions. Heck, how can
you top that? :-)
63. Bookmarklets
http://www.bookmarklets.com
Their website says it best:
"A bookmarklet is a cross between a bookmark and a JavaScript applet.
Bookmarklets can be saved and used in the same way you use normal
bookmarks. While you're on a web page, you can use them to perform certain
functions, from highlighting content converting numbers (like currencies and
measurements), search in advanced ways and much more. You do not have to
download or install software to use them. For example, I use a word count
bookmarklet to quickly count the number of words on a web page since my
copywriting fees are based on the length of a page."
As you can see, it's a pretty nifty little tool so check it out!
64. Ad-Aware 5
http://www.lavasoft.nu
This free software finds the scumware that weasels its way onto your computer
and helps you get rid of it. It's a great tool if you keep getting random pop-ups
and you don't know where they're coming from.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 17
Note: If you're not familiar with scumware, there's a website that's solely
dedicated to this menace. Here's the link --> http://www.scumware.com
65. Deleted Domains
http://www.deleteddomains.com
DeletedDomains.com is the ultimate tool for uncovering both "on hold/expiring"
domains and "deleted" domains. Unlike other services that simply offer a list that
is updated once or twice a week, Deleted Domains updates their database at
least once each day, meaning it is the most up-to-date service of its kind.
Best of all it's free!
A Note from Ryan: I have personally used this site to locate many top quality
domains, the latest of which was DrivingTraffic.com. This one domain was
appraised by GreatDomains.com at $7000-$9000. Not too shabby when you
consider it only cost me $9.95. Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to
do with it. :-)
66. Email Education Center
http://www.emaileducation.com
Access to articles, how-tos and whitepapers on everything email marketing - best
practices, privacy issues, acquisition strategies, etc.
This site also offers free online Webinars and "Ask the Expert" segments. Don't
you just love quality, free information?
67. Jan's Freeware Collection
http://www.jansfreeware.com
This is one of the best freeware sites on the net. Some of their new products
include a free ebook creator and pdf generator.
68. So You Wanna.com
http://www.soyouwanna.com
Learn how to do everything from write a business plan, to run a marathon, to mix
a great drink. Some of the entries are a little bizarre, but the Money and
Technology parts are "must sees" for any small business owner. (And if nothing
else it's good for a laugh.) :-)
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 18
69. TinyURL
http://tinyurl.com
This is a great site that allows you to change your long URLs into shorter ones.
It's a Godsend for people who use free webspace providers, as well as affiliates.
The service is free, but donations are appreciated.
70. Any Browser
http://www.AnyBrowser.com
AnyBrowser offers every tool you'll need to make your site viewable, as the name
suggests, in any browser. It's a great site for people who design their own
websites, but even if you had a "professional" design your site for you, I'd
suggest checking their work against this site.
71. ROI Calculator
http://www.marketingtoday.com/tools/roi_calculator.htm
Marketing Today's ROI calculator is an easy-to-use little device that allows you to
accurately estimate what kind of return on investment you can expect from your
upcoming direct mail or e-mail campaigns and promotions. The ROI calculator is
a simple tool that acts as an excellent reality check when you're determining your
marketing costs.
72. Top Marketing Forums
Warrior Forum:
--> http://www.WarriorForum.com/forum
Entrepreneurial Success Forum:
--> http://www.ablake.net/forum
Between the Warrior Forum and Tony Blake's Entrepreneurial Success Forum,
you should be able to get just about any question regarding internet marketing
answered. These forums are "must have" resources and should be in any online
marketers "Favorites" list (or Bookmarks for you 'Netscapers' out there). :-)
73. Dynamic Drive
http://www.dynamicdrive.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 19
This site has lots of cool javascripts...just make sure you don't overdo it because
a million scripts on one page can get really annoying.
74. Digital Page Author
http://www.digital-page-author-software.com
Here's an alternative to both PDF and HTML compilers that may excite you ebook
authors out there. The Digital Page Author format emulates the experience of
reading a real book by letting your customers flip through the pages at the click
of a mouse. I haven't tested the software myself, but they have an example
ebook on their site and it looks pretty slick. Check it out and let me know what
you think.
75. BotSpot
http://www.botspot.com
This site has tons of bots to help you do everything from finding a news article to
spying on your competition. Even if you don't use it for "business purposes" it's
still just a lot of fun.
76. Site Level
http://sitelevel.whatuseek.com
SiteLevel can set you up with effective, free search tools for your web site. If
your site is more than a couple of pages and doesn't have a good internal search
tool, you're probably losing many a frustrated visitor. Best of all, the free version
should be enough for most small business owners.
77. Make Your Own Business (From TalkBiz News)
http://www.talkbiznews.com/myob.html
Paul Myers, of TalkBiz News, really has a beauty here. It's a free service that
generates a personalized, step-by-step tutorial for how to start a business online.
Just fill in the blanks, and his system will crank out a tutorial, customized to your
own skills and goals. I've never seen anything like it, and best of all it's free. Give
it a shot!
78. SWiSH
http://www.swishzone.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 20
Swish is software that allows you to create great Flash presentations without
even learning (or buying) Macromedia Flash. But do me (and your visitors) a
favor...don't go overboard with your new talent. :-)
79. Paid Search Engine Tools
http://www.paidsearchenginetools.com
The Keyword Bid Optimizer (KBO) at Paid Search Engine Tools helps you keep
tabs on all your pay per click bids. They even let you try it out for free. If you use
PPC services like Overture and FindWhat, you should be using a service like this.
80. Archive.org
http://www.archive.org
This is one of the coolest sites I've ever seen.
The Wayback Machine at Archive.org allows you to view old versions of your
favorite websites. This can be especially useful if you want to see what changes
your competitors have made over the last few months or even years. Who
knows, it may give you some ideas for things that you might need to change on
your own website.
81. Answer Tool
http://www.answertool.com
This handy little tool can save you hours worth of work by no longer having to
type in the same answers to emails over and over again. If you're spending too
much time answering emails, this tool could be a godsend. They even let you try
it free for the first 30 days.
82. ChangeDetection
http://www.changedetection.com
This site tells your visitors about changes to your website every time something
is updated. It’s great for archives and membership sites, and best of all, it's
completely free!
83. Yahoo! Expired Domain Finder
http://www.obleam.com/yahoo
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 21
The Free Yahoo Domain Finder will help you find expired domains that are still
listed in the Yahoo! directories. These can be instant sources of traffic if you find
one that meshes with your business.
84. The eMasters Courses
http://the-emasters.promote-sell-profit.com
The owner of this site is giving away a free eCourse every month. It can be a
great way to get good content for your site, the only problem I saw is that the
reports are only offered in .exe, so Mac people are pretty much left out in the
cold. Still, it's free and you can always just copy and paste the parts you like.
85. ixquick
http://www.ixquick.com
This is my new favorite search engine...
It works the same as other SEs, but adds an extra twist. ixquick also tells you
how many other search engines the sites you find are listed in. It's a great tool to
use when researching new product ideas and scoping out the competition.
86. TrafficRanking.com
http://www.trafficranking.com
Here's a free site where you can see how your site ranks in popularity, number of
links, and overall visitors. My suggestion: check out your competitors' sites as
well and make sure you're at the top.
87. TheTrafficSystem.com's "The Online Free Alley"
http://thetrafficsystem.com/MoneySystem/freereports.html
You can find free reports with reprint rights all over the Internet, but never
before have I seen so many in one place. You can literally spend hours on this
site digging through original reports and articles. This is one of those sites that I
look at and think, "This person could charge a fortune for this kind of
information." The good news is - they aren't. :-)
88. URL in One
http://www.urlinone.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 22
The owner of this site claims that you'll love their service so much, you'll want to
make it your homepage. And you know what, I actually agree!
The URL in One concept is a little too complex to cover completely, but here's
what the site's owner had to say about it...
"For anyone who ever opens more than one browser window at a time, URLinOne
gives you control and power. You can auto-open or manually open a site or sites,
organize them into groups, and reuse open browser windows. This is a new and
powerful way to manage and access your favorite, frequently visited sites. Best
of all, there's no software to install, and it's free."
Check it out!
89. emailStripper
http://www.webmasterfree.com/emailstripper.html
emailStripper is a free program for cleaning the ">" and other formatting
characters out of your emails. It can also restore "forwarded" or "replied" emails
back to their original state so they're easier to read.
90. Keyword Miner
http://www.engineready.com/freeware/keywordminer/index.html
Keyword Miner is a free software tool that helps you find the perfect set of
keywords for your web pages, while also measuring your success by comparing
your traffic with that of your competitors.
Best of all it's completely free - no nag screens, no advertisements - you don't
even have to register it!
91. SnipURL
http://www.snipurl.com
If you're familiar with TinyURL.com, then you already know what this site does.
Basically, it allows you to "snip" your long URL's (such as affiliate links) into much
shorter ones. It's a pretty slick little resource for all you affiliate marketers out
there.
92. FreeSticky
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 23
Free content sites are all over the Internet, but this one has to be one of the
best. It doesn't matter what your website's topic is, chances are you'll find
something here that will add value to it.
93. Stickies 4.0
http://www.btinternet.com/~tom.revell/
If you're like me, your monitor is covered with sticky notes. Some of them are todo
lists, others are ideas, but in the end they just make your desk area look
cluttered. Well here's a handy piece of software that will help you cut down on
the clutter. Oh yeah, and did I mention it's free. :-)
94. GotLogos
http://www.gotlogos.com
Do you need a logo for your product or business but don't want to spend
hundreds of dollars in the process? If so, then this site is definitely worth adding
to your "Favorites" list. I'll admit that I've never personally used their services,
but at $25 for a custom logo, what do you have to lose? (Other than $25 of
course. )
95. FreeStats
http://www.freestats.com
There are tons of hit tracker services on the web, but this one does everything I
need and is dirt cheap. (What more can you ask for?)
96. FindArticles.com
http://www.findarticles.com
FindArticles.com is a vast archive of published articles that you can search for
free. It's constantly updated and contains articles from more than 300 magazines
and journals in every possible category you could imagine.
It's a great way to add content to your website and a little more beef to your
promotions.
97. SpamNix
http://www.spamnix.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 24
This program uses the same filter criteria as Spam Assassin, and while that may
not sound like a good thing it can actually be a tremendous asset. Essentially,
what SpamNix allows you to do is to "test" your emails to see if they'll make it
through the Spam Assassin filters.
Just send your email to yourself using the SpamNix filters and you'll know for
certain if your email message meets the Spam Assassin criteria.
It's a shame that honest online marketers must go through all this trouble just to
send an email to our opt-in list, but as tools like Spam Assassin become more
and more commonplace, tools like SpamNix will become more and more
necessary.
By the way, SpamNix only works with Eudora so make sure you download a free
copy of it by going to http://www.Eudora.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE: While this SiteSightings was submitted by a subscriber, I can
say with a fair degree of certainty that it first appeared in Paul Myers' "TalkBiz
News" ezine and was originally conceived by Jeff Walker, of
http://www.lowrisk.com. By the way, if you're not already subscribed to Paul's
ezine I highly recommend doing so by going to http://www.talkbiznews.com. It's
one of the best...plain and simple.
98. AutorespondIt
http://www.AutorespondIt.com
Ok, I admit it...this one's a shameless self-plug of my very own autoresponder
service. Even still, you'll be hard-pressed to find an *advanced* autoresponder
system like this for such a minimal investment. If you already have an
autoresponder service or if you're still shopping around, you owe it to yourself to
check out AutorespondIt.
99. SmartBoardXP
http://smartboardxp.com
SmartBoardXP captures everything as you copy and paste, stores all your
regularly used data, and lets you paste back into the document you are currently
working on with as little as one click or two keystrokes... and it even works in all
your applications.
The best part is that it helps you organize everything into categories so it's
especially helpful when you're researching your hot new product. Just think of it
as your regular Windows Clipboard on steroids. :-)
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 25
Exclusive “From the Trenches” Tips that Every Online
Business Owner NEEDS to Read
INTRODUCTION:
These articles appeared in my “Webs Worth Watching” Newsletter as special “From
the Trenches” Tips. The philosophy behind these tips is to expose my own
experiences (both victories and failures) in operating an online business.
My hope is that somewhere buried in these tips, you’ll find at least one thing that will
help you reach your goals a little bit faster.
Enjoy...
----------------------------------------------------
"How Do I Get Started Online If I Don’t
Have My Own Products"
(Part I)
>> By Ryan Deiss
This "From the Trenches” Tip is an answer to the question that I get asked more than
any other. That is...
"How Do I Get Started Online If I Don't Have My Own Products?"
You know the internet is a great place to start your own business, but you have no idea
how or where to start.
You've tried the affiliate programs and the so-called “opportunities” only to be
disappointed time and time again.
You want to have your own products, but you don't have the time or starting capital it
requires to roll them out.
In short, you're stuck...
You have the desire but you don't have the vehicle. Oh sure, you've read about how
some “guru” wrote a best-selling book or came up with some million dollar idea. But what
about the average Joe or Jane who can't write and isn't bursting with ideas?
What do they do?
What do YOU do?!
Well I don't claim to be a guru, but I can tell you what I did and what worked for me...
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 26
When I first got started online, I had almost no spare cash and even less spare time. I
knew I wouldn't be able to sit down and write and entire ebook, and so I decided instead
to publish a newsletter.
That's right...my newsletter, “Webs Worth Watching”, was my first product!
If you haven't considered having a newsletter as your first product, then take a look at
this...
• They're cheap to develop
• They require less time than writing a full ebook and most importantly...
• They allow you to build a base of potential customers *before* you even
release or start to develop a single product
So if you're still looking for a way to get your foot in the online door, don't take months
and months to write an ebook or develop a product - start a newsletter and build a site
that can "sell" it!
Not only will this put you on the map, it will also be great practice for when you start
rolling out your own million dollar ideas.
And who knows? One day you may be looking at your own online empire and thinking to
yourself..."Gosh, and it all started with one simple newsletter." :-)
I hope I've given you a fresh idea that you can take and apply to your own business. If
you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please feel free to
email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 27
----------------------------------------------------
"How Do I Get Started Online If I Don’t
Have My Own Products"
(Part II)
>> By Ryan Deiss
In the last "From the Trenches" Tip, I said that people should publish a newsletter as
their first product, because it's cheap, easy, and lays a strong foundation for future
product rollouts.
To read that entire "From the Trenches" Tip, send a blank email to the address below:
--> mailto:trenches1@SiteSightings.com
I received a lot of great feedback from that article, the majority of which was people
thanking me for FINALLY giving their business some direction.
However, I also receive a few emails from people asking me,
"How in the heck do I go about starting a newsletter,
and what topic should I pick?"
Those are very fair questions and so I'll try to address them right now...
You have to keep in mind that there are literally millions and millions of people that can
be reached on the internet, and so virtually any topic (within reason) can be in demand.
====================== Side Note ======================
"Hang Gliding", for example, was searched over 5000 times on Overture alone. Is that
enough interest to start a business? I don't really know, but I do know that you should be
able to find a topic that has a slightly broader appeal than hang gliding. :-)
====================== Side Note ======================
My suggestion is, first and foremost, to pick a topic that you know *something* about,
and really enjoy doing. I know it seems like a cop-out, but this really is the best way to
succeed online.
Once you've chosen a topic, then see if other people who would be interested in that
topic can be easily reached through the internet. Check out the search engines and the
newsgroups. See if there's anyone else out there who shares in your passion.
If there isn't anyone, then just come up with a different topic until you find something with
an audience. Once you have your topic (and a known following) then just choose how
you will form your newsletter and build yourself a site to "sell" it.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 28
Advertise it a bit to this group, and then send out your first issue after about a month of
advertising. Depending on the response, you should have a good idea of whether or not
it would be profitable to continue to nurture a relationship with this group.
If the response is good, just keep doing what you're doing and before you know it you'll
have a list of raving fans who trust and respect you, and will pay close attention to any
product that you rollout in the future.
Ok, I admit that I have dumbed the process down quite a bit, but there have been whole
books written on this topic and so it would be ridiculous of me to try to cover everything
in this one article. What I want to do, more than anything, is to outline the basic steps so
that you can adapt them to your own business.
In short, I'm trying to teach you how to fish rather than just handing you baked salmon.
So start thinking about what you really really love, and then isolate a niche that you can
reach on the Internet. If other people online share in your passion, you could very well
have a profitable newsletter on your hands.
====================== Side Note ======================
I said earlier that whole books had been written on the topic of ezine publishing...
Well one of the best of seen is Jimmy Brown's "Profit Pulling Newsletters", and so if you
really want to give your own newsletter a jump start I highly recommend it.
Here's the link if you're interested:
--> http://www.optinautomator.com/ppn.htm
====================== Side Note ======================
If you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please feel free to
email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 29
----------------------------------------------------
"Complexity...The Most Infectious Disease
in Product Development"
>> By Ryan Deiss
I'm not a programmer, but since my first two products, Opt-In Automator and Pop-Up
Rotator, happened to be software-based, I get a lot of emails from people who want me
to work with them on their own software projects.
And of the literally dozens of requests that I've received, can you guess how many I've
taken?
The answer...none, zero, zilch. And do you know why? Because every single one of the
projects that have been proposed to me all suffer from the same disease...Complexitus.
Now I'm not going to claim credit for the term Complex-itus because it was coined by a
friend of mine, Ben Prater of "Software Secrets Exposed", but what it essentially
means is over-complicating a product (or project) until it's virtually impossible to
complete.
For example, I had a guy email me with an idea for the ultimate HTML editor. The way
he made it sound, his product would do everything that Dreamweaver and Photoshop
could do, but faster, easier and better.
The problem...a project of this scope would cost literally millions of dollars and untold
years to develop. (This person had neither.)
Now I understand that we've been taught our whole lives to "Think BIG," but when it
comes to product development, whether it be software, an info-product or whatever else,
my advice is to "Think Small".
So, instead of creating the HTML editor to end all other HTML editors, why not just
create a simple program that can fill a common need. That's how you make a lot of
money! And instead of writing a 500 page ebook for your first project, why not just create
a short, 30-page report on a more targeted area. Not only will it be easier to create, it
should also sell better than a lengthy, unfocused manual.
I can assure you that if you follow this advice, you'll finish a lot more projects, and earn
a lot more money. If all else fails, you can "delay" your really big ideas until your "little
ones" are bringing in some cash. :-)
If you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please feel free to
email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 30
----------------------------------------------------
"How NOT to Joint Venture"
>> By Ryan Deiss
I get dozens of emails everyday from people wanting me to joint venture with them on
their latest ebook or software project, the majority of which are barely worth replying to.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm always open to joint venture opportunities, but please
please please if you're going to make an me an offer, you better make sure it's one I
can't refuse. (And this goes with other marketers as well.)
Here's what I mean...
All too often, the joint venture offers I receive go something like this:
"I just wrote an ebook and would like it if you could advertise it to your list. It sells
for $17, and I pay 50% commissions. I'd really appreciate your help."
Ok, this joint venture offer has 2 major problems...
1. You can expect any marketer to get excited about an $8.50 commission.
(Actually it's less than $8 after the merchant company gets their part.)
If you want someone with a large responsive list to promote your product, your
commissions really need to excite your potential partner. Personally, I expect to
make at least $25-$30 off of every sale I make. Anything less and it's really not
worth it to me to send out.
2. Don't expect big-name marketers to "help" you for next-to-nothing.
I'm a pretty nice guy, but when it all comes down to it, I got started online to
make money. And so while I try to help people whenever I can, I have to make
sure that I'm meeting my own bottom line.
So please don't beg me (or other marketers) to help. It just isn't fair to ask
someone to sacrifice their own profits when they also have a family to provide
for.
Ok, so all that being said...how do you formulate the perfect joint venture offer?
Well like I said before, the name of the game is to make someone an offer that they can’t
refuse. You do that by selling high margin products, and offering huge
commissions.
And it may sound crazy, but don't be afraid to offer people with really huge lists even
more than 50%. If there's a person that you really want to joint venture with, and they tell
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 31
you that they expect $25 off of every sale (but your product sells for $40)...give them
$25!
The way I look at it, $15 is a heck of a lot better than $0, and this way you also get your
name out there and have the potential to make more sales in the future. (Just make sure
that you cover your own costs, especially if the product you market is physical.)
This tip isn't a full blown explanation of joint ventures, but hopefully it'll lead you in the
right direction when you go to email Mr. or Ms. Big about your brand new product.
As always, if you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please
feel free to email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 32
----------------------------------------------------
"STOP Buying Internet Marketing Products"
>> By Ryan Deiss
I'm going to take a lot of heat from some of my buddies in the Internet Marketing field for
this article, but some things just have to be said. Ok here goes...
"You should stop spending all your money on Internet marketing related
products!" (And yes that also includes my own products, Opt-In Automator, Pop-
Up Rotator, and "The Great Ezine Experiment".)
So why am I saying this?
Well, it all springs from an email I received a few weeks ago from a guy wanting to make
a trade for Opt-In Automator. The email went something like this:
===============
"I'm very interested in your product, Opt-In Automator, but I'm really low on cash
right now so I was hoping to trade you [product name withheld] for it. If you're not
interested in this product, I have many more that I can offer you."
===============
So out of curiosity, I asked this gentleman to send me the URLs to his website(s) so I
could check out these “other products” that he mentioned.
Here was his response:
===============
"Actually I don't have my own website, yet. Right now I'm just trying to acquire all
the Internet marketing materials I can so I know what I'm doing when I finally
launch my own site."
===============
If you were paying attention, this response should have thrown up quite a few red flags.
For starters, Opt-In Automator does you absolutely no good if you don't already have
your own website and mailing list. So this guy is spending his time and money acquiring
products that are useless to him and his business. (That's not a great formula for
success.)
Second, (and this is really the whole point of this article so pay attention) the notion that
you must have all the wisdom, resources, and software at your fingertips before you start
is simply ridiculous!
Sure, you need some basic knowledge so you have some clue as to what you're doing.
So read an ebook here and there and digest all the free information you can.
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 33
But above all else, try something! Just get out there and do it. That's where you really
learn what works and what doesn't.
I see way too many people fall into the trap of "Perpetual Preparation". They spend so
much time getting ready to start their business that they never actually get around to
doing anything.
And whatever you do, stop wasting all your money buying every ebook and hot new
software product under the sun. Instead, buy a domain name and a year of hosting. Buy
an autoresponder account, and a payment processor.
In short, invest in the things that directly benefit your business before you waste
all your money on knowledge you can no longer afford to use.
Once you start turning a profit, you can let your business fund your continuing education
and also purchase that great new piece of software you've been eyeing for the last few
months. (Hopefully it's one of mine.) ;-)
As always, if you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please
feel free to email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 34
----------------------------------------------------
"The Single Most Effective, Yet Unused,
Joint Venture Tactic"
>> By Ryan Deiss
Here's a joint venture technique you can use that I guarantee will get the attention of
even the busiest, most successful website owners.
Consider this...
If you were going to approach someone about forming a joint venture or partnership,
what method would you use? Well if you're like 99.9% of the people out there, then
chances are you would simply send them a personal email and then wait for a reply.
Sometimes the reply comes, and other times it doesn't. Well here's a way to virtually
ensure a reply of some sort...
Don't email your potential partners your offer - MAIL it to them. That's right! It's time to
dust off those old stamps, break out envelopes and actually send a real, live letter. I
realize this sounds a little backwards, but that's the beauty of it.
Here's an example...
I receive dozens of joint venture requests every day, some of which are worth replying
to, and some of which are not. The funny thing, however, is that of the thousands of JV
requests that have cross my path, not a single one has been delivered via postal mail.
So what do you think my reaction would be if I did receive something in the mail? Don't
bother guessing...I'll tell you! I'd be shocked, amazed, and impressed all at the same
time. Even if the offer was not for me, you better believe that I would give it extra-special
consideration. (And that's really all you can ask for when approaching a potential
partner.)
But let's take this one step further...
Instead of just sending a personal letter via First Class mail, try sending it through
Federal Express, or even registered mail. Heck, make the person sign for it! :-)
Obviously you don't want to go too overboard with this, but if the joint venture could earn
you thousands of dollars, isn't it at least worth the cost of a postage stamp. I think so...
As always, if you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please
feel free to email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 35
----------------------------------------------------
"How to Price an Ebook"
>> By Ryan Deiss
The title of this article is deceptively simple, but I promise there's more to pricing an
ebook than you would think. The inspiration for this tip came from an email I received
from a subscriber, which read...
"I'm planning on releasing my ebook soon and I'm trying to decide how to sell it.
(i.e. with resell rights, customization rights, etc) Any tips you could give as to how
I should sell it for maximum profits?"
The way I look at it, you create a product because you want to accomplish one of two
things:
1. Make a lot of money
or...
2. Build your list and generate publicity
You really can't do #1 very effectively if you don't charge a premium for your ebook, so in
my opinion if you don't feel your ebook is worth at least $37, then you should consider
refocusing your marketing plan from profit generation to list generation. (Note:
The $37 figure is not set it stone, but it's what I've found works best for my business.)
So how do you transition from profit generation to list generation? Simple...just offer lowcost
(or free) resell rights to your ebook.
If your ebook has resell rights available (and it's of high quality), it will spread much
faster giving you more recognition while building your list at the same time. But let's not
forget...you'll also make a tidy sum selling the ebook on the front end, and then charging
extra for resell rights and customization.
Then all you have to do is roll out another (more expensive product) to your new list, and
watch the really BIG profits roll in.
I realize that this idea isn't anything new, but so few info publishers are actually
using it that it's worth discussing. Far too often I hear of people trying to "make it big"
off of a $17 ebook. I hate to burst your bubble, but it isn't going to happen!
So instead of busting your butt for a small fortune, bust your butt for a HUGE list. It may
not seem as sexy at first, but I promise it will pay much larger dividends over the longhaul.
SPECIAL SIDE NOTE: If you want to see this strategy in action, just check out my new
ebook "The Great Ezine Experiment".
--> http://www.EzineExperiment.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 36
Though I made a nice profit off of the front-end sales of this product, my main focus was
to build my list and increase my name recognition.
THE RESULT: A 30% increase in my opt-in list in the first month alone, and a sharp
increase in sales for my other products.
See...it does work. :-)
As always, if you have any questions about this week's "From the Trenches" Tip, please
feel free to email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 37
----------------------------------------------------
"Marketing Is NOT a WAR"
(Why I Disagree with Mark Joyner)
>> By Ryan Deiss
It's becoming very hip lately to refer to marketing in military and especially warlike terms.
Mark Joyner, of Aesop.com, is especially big about this.
In fact, in his new book Mind Control Marketing (which I just finished reading), Mark
takes the perspective that selling something is a "fight to the death" between you and
your customers where your goal is to "conquer their resistance" (see Mind Control
Marketing, pg. 79).
WHAT?!
Now, maybe I'm still young and naive when compared to the great Mark Joyner, but I like
to think of marketing as a bridge between people's wants and a solution to extinguish
those wants (which is where the products come in). In short, I still see marketing as a
benevolent act that should be undertaken with honesty and sincerity - not a battle
to be won.
When I buy a product, it's because I wanted it. Sure, I've been scammed before, but I'm
still pleased with the vast majority of my purchases because I wanted something that a
particular product or service could fill. The owner didn't need to wear down my
resistance, she simply needed to recognize my wants and seek to meet them at a
reasonable price.
So if you're reading this with an open mind, here's the lesson I hope you take with you...
Seek to create products (and services) that genuinely help
people and meet their most pressing wants.
If you do that, then all your marketing has to do is isolate the targeted prospects and
show them how your product does what it says it will do. Do that and you won't need any
"mind control" tactics or "hypnotic selling" strategies.
But then again, that's just my take on it...let me know what you think...
As always, if you have any questions or comments about this week's "From the
Trenches" Tip, please feel free to email me at:
--> mailto:Ryan@SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 38
Here’s a little bit about me...
Since 2001, Ryan Deiss has made a career for himself on the
Internet by creating products that make people say, "Why didn't I
think of that?"
Ryan's first project, the "Webs Worth Watching" newsletter, was
launched out of a desire to offer something different in an ezine.
Since then "Something Different" has remained his battle cry. In
November of 2001, Ryan launched Opt-In Automator, which has since helped hundreds
of ezine publishers achieve higher opt-in rates in highly competitive markets. Its
characteristic "javascript warning" pop-up has now become commonplace on many of
the top marketing related websites.
His next product, Pop-Up Rotator, literally sent the controversial world of pop-up
marketing spinning. Using Pop-Up Rotator, online marketers could now display multiple
pop-ups on their site in a defined series so that visitors were exposed to a new ad every
time they returned to the site. This not only increased profits for the marketers, it also
made pop-ups as a whole less annoying to visitors since they were no longer forced to
see the same pop-up time and time again.
Ryan's fuel for starting his online businesses came from a highly unlikely source...a girl.
As Ryan tells the story...
"In May of 2001 I decided that I needed to buy a ring for my girlfriend. Now this wasn't
just any ring, mind you, this was *THE RING*. By that I mean, the ring that I would give
to the girl of my dreams when I asked her to be my wife. But there was a problem...
Engagement rings are anything but cheap. In fact, they're the anti-cheap. But since I had
no money, I decided that after two years of sitting on the sidelines I would finally try my
hand at this 'crazy Internet thing' to see if I could bring in enough cash to eventually pay
off the ring."
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 39
Fortunately for Ryan, he surpassed his original goal and started making serious cash
from his websites in less than 4 months. Now, Ryan's primary focus is on new product
development and teaching others how they can rollout and market products using the
Internet.
Here are some of Ryan’s “Why didn’t I think of that” products.
“Pop-Up Rotator” www.PopUpRotator.com
Here’s the product that literally sent the world of pop-ups
spinning, and created a whole new marketing strategy – Pop-Up
Rotation. With Pop-Up Rotator, you’ll be able to finally create
pop ups that actually SELL to your visitors instead of just
ANNOY them.
“Opt-In Automator” www.OptInAutomator.com
Double your Ezine’s opt-in rate in 8 minutes by
installing this simple little program on your site.
“The Great Ezine Experiment”
www.EzineExperiment.com
"How I Turned a Simple Ezine Into an Online Empire That
Earns Me THOUSANDS of Dollars Each Month." (You won’t
find this strategy taught anywhere else.)
“Webs Worth Watching Newsletter”
www.SiteSightings.com
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 40
Discover the BEST Sites You've NEVER Seen, Along with Tried and True 'From the
Trenches' Marketing Tips, All in One Place. There’s not filler and no fluff, so subscribe
and see why one subscriber said...
“I subscribe to hundreds of newsletters. Why? Because I look for value
and content which I consider important to maximize my business. I end
of deleting most of them or unsubscribing. But yours gets read! You
provide a quality newsletter that is honest, open and valuable in
content. Keep up the good work. Its refreshing to get a newsletter that
has your subscribers best interest at heart and you can quote me on
this.”
Robert Lunsford
http://www.TimeSaverSolutions.com
---------------------------------------------------
To see my complete product line, be sure to visit my main site
at:
--> http://www.SoftnicheSolutions.com
Thanks again for reading,
Ryan Deiss
Ryan@SiteSightings.com
---------------------------------------------------
© 2002 by Softniche Solutions Page 41
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