The CAN-SPAM Act: Requirements for Commercial Emailers

The CAN-SPAM Act: Requirements for Commercial Emailers

The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) establishes requirements for those who send commercial email, spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them.
The law, which became effective January 1, 2004, covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. A "transactional or relationship message" – email that facilitates an agreed-upon transaction or updates a customer in an existing business relationship – may not contain false or misleading routing information, but otherwise is exempt from most provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is authorized to enforce the CAN-SPAM Act. CAN-SPAM also gives the Department of Justice (DOJ) the authority to enforce its criminal sanctions. Other federal and state agencies can enforce the law against organizations under their jurisdiction, and companies that provide Internet access may sue violators, as well.
What the Law Requires
Here's a rundown of the law's main provisions:
It bans false or misleading header information. Your email's "From," "To," and routing information – including the originating domain name and email address – must be accurate and identify the person who initiated the email.
It prohibits deceptive subject lines. The subject line cannot mislead the recipient about the contents or subject matter of the message.
It requires that your email give recipients an opt-out method. You must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask you not to send future email messages to that email address, and you must honor the requests. You may create a "menu" of choices to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to end any commercial messages from the sender. Any opt-out mechanism you offer must be able to process opt-out requests for at least 30 days after you send your commercial email. When you receive an opt-out request, the law gives you 10 business days to stop sending email to the requestor's email address. You cannot help another entity send email to that address, or have another entity send email on your behalf to that address. Finally, it's illegal for you to sell or transfer the email addresses of people who choose not to receive your email, even in the form of a mailing list, unless you transfer the addresses so another entity can comply with the law.
It requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender's valid physical postal address. Your message must contain clear and conspicuous notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation and that the recipient can opt out of receiving more commercial email from you. It also must include your valid physical postal address.
Penalties
Each violation of the above provisions is subject to fines of up to $11,000. Deceptive commercial email also is subject to laws banning false or misleading advertising.
Additional fines are provided for commercial emailers who not only violate the rules described above, but also:
"harvest" email addresses from Web sites or Web services that have published a notice prohibiting the transfer of email addresses for the purpose of sending email
generate email addresses using a "dictionary attack" – combining names, letters, or numbers into multiple permutations
use scripts or other automated ways to register for multiple email or user accounts to send commercial email
relay emails through a computer or network without permission – for example, by taking advantage of open relays or open proxies without authorization.
The law allows the DOJ to seek criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for commercial emailers who do – or conspire to:
use another computer without authorization and send commercial email from or through it
use a computer to relay or retransmit multiple commercial email messages to deceive or mislead recipients or an Internet access service about the origin of the message
falsify header information in multiple email messages and initiate the transmission of such messages
register for multiple email accounts or domain names using information that falsifies the identity of the actual registrant
falsely represent themselves as owners of multiple Internet Protocol addresses that are used to send commercial email messages.
Additional Rules
The FTC will issue additional rules under the CAN-SPAM Act involving the required labeling of sexually explicit commercial email and the criteria for determining "the primary purpose" of a commercial email. Look for the rule covering the labeling of sexually explicit material in April 2004; "the primary purpose" rulemaking will be complete by the end of 2004. The Act also instructs the FTC to report to Congress in summer 2004 on a National Do Not E-Mail Registry, and issue reports in the next two years on the labeling of all commercial email, the creation of a "bounty system" to promote enforcement of the law, and the effectiveness and enforcement of the CAN-SPAM Act.
See the FTC Web site at www.ftc.gov/spam for updates on implementation of the CAN-SPAM Act.
The FTC maintains a consumer complaint database of violations of the laws that the FTC enforces. Consumers can submit complaints online at http://www.ftc.gov/ and forward unwanted commercial email to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.
Your Opportunity to Comment
The National Small Business Ombudsman and 10 Regional Fairness Boards collect comments from small businesses about federal compliance and enforcement activities. Each year, the Ombudsman evaluates the conduct of these activities and rates each agency's responsiveness to small businesses. Small businesses can comment to the Ombudsman without fear of reprisal. To comment, call toll-free 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247) or go to www.sba.gov/ombudsman.
For More Information
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit http://www.ftc.gov/ or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
April 2004

Tips for Sellers from The Federal Trade Commission

Internet auction sites give buyers a “virtual” flea market with new and used merchandise from around the world; they give sellers a global storefront from which to market their goods. But the online auction business can be risky business. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants to help buyers and sellers stay safe on Internet auction websites. Among the thousands of consumer fraud complaints the FTC receives every year, those dealing with online auction fraud consistently rank near the top of the list. The complaints generally deal with late shipments, no shipments, or shipments of products that aren’t the same quality as advertised; bogus online payment or escrow services; and fraudulent dealers who lure bidders from legitimate auction sites with seemingly better deals. Most complaints involve sellers, but in some cases, the buyers are the subject.Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, understanding how Internet auctions work can help you avoid most problems.

How Internet Auctions Work — Rules of the Marketplace

Role of the Auction Site.
Most Internet auction sites specialize in person-to-person activity where individual sellers or small businesses sell their items directly to consumers. In these auctions, the seller — not the site — has the merchandise, and often, the site will not take responsibility for any problems that may arise between buyers and sellers. Before using an Internet auction site for the first time, buyers and sellers should read the Terms of Use, and review any information the site offers.

Registration. Most Internet auction sites require buyers and sellers to register and obtain a “user account name” (or “screen name”) and password before they can make bids or place items for bid. Keep your password to yourself. If you share it, another person could access your account and buy or sell items without your knowledge. That could damage your online reputation — and eventually, your bank account.Fees. Some sites require sellers to agree to pay a fee every time they conduct an auction, whether the item is sold or not. Other sites charge a fee only when an item is sold.The Auction. Many sellers set a time limit on bidding and, in some cases, a “reserve price” — the lowest price they will accept for an item. When the bidding closes at the scheduled time, the item is sold to the highest bidder. If no one bids at or above the reserve price, the auction closes without the item being sold.
Some auction sites allow sellers to set a price at which a buyer can purchase the item without competing with other bidders. A buyer can choose to purchase the item for the price the seller has set, without bidding.

After the Auction:
Arranging to Pay and Deliver Merchandise. At the end of a successful auction, the buyer and seller communicate — usually by email — to arrange for payment and delivery.
PhishingBe aware of “phishing:” emails sent to you asking for your password or other personal information that look like they’ve been sent by an auction website or payment service. Usually, these emails are fishing for your information and are coming from someone who wants to hack into your account.If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don’t click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company’s correct Web address yourself. In any case, don’t cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser; phishers often make links look like they go to one site, but actually send you somewhere else.

Payment Options
Successful bidders can choose among many options to pay for an item they have bought on an Internet auction — credit card, online payment service (which often accepts credit card payments), debit card, personal check, cashier’s check, money order, or escrow service. Sometimes, the seller limits the types of payment accepted and posts that information in the auction listing. Many sellers require receipt of a cashier’s check or money order before they send an item. Higher volume sellers often accept credit cards directly. To protect both buyers and sellers, some auction sites now prohibit the use of wire transfers as a method of payment.

Credit Cards.
Credit cards are a safe option for consumers to use when paying for items bought on an Internet auction: They allow buyers to seek a credit from the credit card issuer (also known as a “charge back”) if the product isn’t delivered or isn’t what they ordered.

Online Payment Services.
Online payment services are popular with both buyers and sellers. They allow buyers to use a credit card or electronic bank transfer to pay sellers. They also may protect buyers from unlawful use of their credit cards or bank accounts because the online payment service holds the account information, not the seller. Many sellers prefer online payment services because the services tend to provide more security than, say, personal checks.To use an online payment service, the buyer and seller generally set up accounts that allow them to make or accept payments. Buyers provide payment information, like bank account or credit card numbers, and sellers give information about where payments should be deposited. In some cases, sellers do not have to create an account with the online payment service to receive funds. To complete a transaction, the buyer tells the online payment service to direct appropriate funds to the seller. The seller then gets immediate access to the funds. Most online payment services charge the seller to receive the funds, but some payment services charge the buyer.Some online payment services offer protections to buyers if the seller fails to ship the goods or ships goods that are not as described in the auction. Buyers should read the terms under which the protections apply. Usually, if a buyer uses a credit card to pay for goods or services through an online payment service, charge back rights are available to the buyer who uses the credit card. However, if the service considers the transfer of funds to be a method of sending cash rather than paying for goods, then charge back rights may not apply. If you cannot find out what will happen if you need a refund, or if you don’t understand how the payment service works from reading the website, find a different service or use another method of payment.Debit Card, Personal Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money Order. Many smaller sellers accept forms of payment that are cash equivalents. These sellers often wait to receive the payment (and may wait for a personal check to clear) before shipping the item. Buyers should use this type of payment only when they trust the seller. At the same time, sellers should ensure that checks and money orders they receive from buyers are legitimate before shipping the goods; they should be suspicious of checks or money orders for amounts that exceed the price of the merchandise. Unlike credit cards or some online payment services, cash equivalents (and wire transfers) cannot be reversed if something goes wrong.Wire Transfers. The FTC recommends that buyers not wire money (via a money transmitter or directly to a seller’s bank account) unless they know the seller personally or can verify the seller’s identity. Buyers should be suspicious of sellers who insist on wire transfers as the only form of payment they will accept. If something goes wrong with the transaction, you most likely will lose your payment and not have any recourse. In fact, to protect both buyers and sellers, some auction sites now prohibit the use of wire transfers as a method of payment.

Online Escrow Services and Bonding Services.
For big-ticket items like computers, cars, or jewelry, buyers should consider using an escrow service or purchasing from a bonded or insured seller to protect their funds. The primary purpose of online escrow services is to protect buyers and sellers from fraud. Escrow services accept and hold payment from a buyer — often a wire transfer, check, money order, or credit card — until he receives and approves the merchandise. Then, the escrow service forwards the payment to the seller. The buyer pays the fee for an online escrow service — generally a percentage of the cost of the item.Before using an escrow service, both the buyer and the seller should verify that it is a legitimate, reputable company.Some sellers may state that they are bonded or otherwise insured against fraud. If a buyer intends to rely on a seller’s bonded status or the seller’s insurance to protect against fraud, he should investigate the legitimacy of the bonding or insurance company and then make sure that the seller really is a member of — or certified by — that company. If a problem arises with a bonded seller, the buyer usually has to engage in a dispute resolution process with the seller before being able to submit a claim to the bonding or insurance company.

Types of Fraud
Most people who complain to the FTC about Internet auction fraud report problems with sellers who:
fail to send the merchandise.
send something of lesser value than advertised.
fail to deliver in a timely manner.
fail to disclose all relevant information about a product or terms of the sale. Some buyers experience other problems, including:
“bid siphoning,” when con artists lure bidders off legitimate auction sites by offering to sell the “same” item at a lower price. They intend to trick consumers into sending money without delivering the item. By going off-site, buyers lose any protections the original site may provide, such as insurance, feedback forms, or guarantees.
“second chance offers,” when con artists offer losing bidders of a closed auction a second chance to purchase the item that they lost in the auction. Second-chance buyers lose any protections the original site may provide once they go off-site.
“shill bidding,” when fraudulent sellers or their partners, known as “shills,” bid on sellers’ items to drive up the price.
“bid shielding,” when fraudulent buyers submit very high bids to discourage other bidders from competing for the same item, then retract their bids so that people they know can get the item at a lower price. Escrow Service Complaints. Another type of fraud occurs when sellers or buyers pose as escrow services to improperly obtain money or goods. The so-called seller puts goods up for sale on an Internet auction and insists that prospective buyers use a particular escrow service. Once buyers provide the escrow service with their payment information, the escrow service doesn’t hold the payment: It is sent directly to the so-called seller. The buyer never receives the promised goods, can’t locate the seller, and, because the escrow service was part of the scheme, can’t get any money back.In some cases, a fraudster poses as a buyer and, after placing the highest bid on an item, insists that the seller use a particular escrow service. The escrow service tricks the seller into sending the merchandise and doesn’t send the payment or return the goods to the seller.

Fake Check Scams Target Sellers
Sellers can be victims of fraud when buyers send fake checks or money orders that are detected by the bank only after the seller has shipped the goods. A buyer might offer to use a cashier’s check, personal check, or corporate check to pay for the item you’re selling. Sometimes, the buyer sends a fake check or money order that exceeds the cost of the item that has been purchased. The so-called buyer (or the buyer’s “agent”) states that he made a mistake, or comes up with another reason for writing the check for more than the purchase price. In either case, the buyer asks you to wire back the difference after you deposit the check. You deposit the check, learn that it has cleared, and wire the funds back to the “buyers.” Later, the bank determines that the check is fraudulent, leaving you liable for the entire amount. The checks were counterfeit, but good enough to fool unsuspecting bank tellers.


For Buyers and Sellers...
Where to Turn for Help
If you have problems during a transaction, try to work them out directly with the seller, buyer, or site operator. If that doesn’t work, file a complaint with:
the attorney general’s office in your state.
your county or state consumer protection agency. Check the blue pages of the phone book under county and state government.
the Better Business Bureau.
the Federal Trade Commission. File a complaint online at ftc.gov.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit http://www.ftc.gov/ or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

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Creating The Best Headlines For Search Engines by Danny Wirken

Headlines can make or break any marketing copy. Headlines and sub-headlines that fail to interest or excite the reader will surely lead to unread copies. This could be quite unfortunate not only for the website's owners but to users as well who might miss out on relevant information contained in an article. A good headline is able to convey to the reader the greatest benefit that can be derived from accessing the information being offered.

Title Tags and Search Engines
One of the most important factors in achieving high search engine ranking is the use of an effective title tag. This is basically an HTML code snippet that creates the words that appear on the top bar of the web browser. Generally, the Meta description and Meta keyword tags follow a title tag although the order in which they appear is not critical.
Search engines use the title tags to gather information about a website. The words that appear in the clickable link on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) are the words used in the title tag. In search engine algorithm, the top three includes title tag together with the visible text copy and the links pointing to the page.

Title tags can only be effective if it contains specific keyword phrases relevant to the site's industry. The keywords would need to reflect the specific boundaries (if any) which a site has. A good example would be to use California Divorce Lawyers instead of simply using Divorce Lawyers which would include divorce lawyers' sites from all over the world. A title that is neither very general nor too specific is the best option as it eliminates too many competitions while not being too restrictive of the scope of possible readers. Thus, depending on the site's purpose, the title can be modified to appear as Los Angeles Divorce Lawyers which further narrows down the option for searchers.

The creation of the title tag can come after the copy has been written and optimized. The most relevant keyword phrases which form the basis of the copy are the most probable sources of a compelling tag. One clue that can help determine whether a good copy has been written is the ease of arriving at a title. It is impossible to come up with the right title if the content is unable to deliver at least one main and clear idea.

When writing a copy for a website, the best approach is to use the main phrases that will suitably reflect the business. The text is then composed around these phrases while being the source of a keyword-rich title. However, it is not advisable to pull a particular sentence from the text verbatim and use it as a title. A unique sentence or phrase that hits the mark is more advantageous.

A keyword phrase used in the title tag but doesn't actually appear on the visible copy can work both ways. A high ranking may be achieved since a title tag is given a lot of weight by search engines. However, having phrases that are considered to even be slightly competitive in the title but are not found in the copy will reduce its over-all effectiveness. The consideration of gaining many keyword-rich words to the site remains and this should also work hand in hand with the title. If there are keywords that are considered important enough for the site's use to be found by search engines, then those same words should be effectively incorporated into the text. It isn't as simple as using it at the top or bottom of the page but having these important words blend in the over-all result of the page.

Producing Effective Headlines
The best headlines do not just happen. They are intentionally created as such to provide the best results possible for both the site owner and the reader. Headlines offer the first opportunity to grab the reader's attention from the targeted market.

The length of a good headline has been the subject of discussion. There are those who believe it should be limited to a certain number of words but no one can argue about the success of headlines that can be categorized as long by ordinary standards. This just goes to show that the length is not as important as the convincing power of certain words put together. However, a long headline stands to benefit from a writing technique that makes it possible to physically break-up and cleverly display high-spots of interest. Every headline should be presented in such a way that the advantage promised to the reader is so evident that it is almost as if the copy was made solely for him/her.

The choice of words obviously determines the effect of any headline. The two most eye-catching words in a headline are "free" and "new". "Free" because readers can be very open to consider anything that would not require them to pay and "new" because readers tend to associate new to something better. Words that also seem to deliver are "how to", "introducing", "improvement", "revolutionary", "magic", "simple", "compare", "last chance" and other words of similar nature. Most of these words seem trite and worn-out but they work towards providing a more specific and desirable offer to the prospect. The selling promise should be subtly incorporated into the headline. This could be done by using longer but information-laden statements. Focus the headline on the benefit which the readers can expect to receive.

Negative headlines doesn't work except when the negativity is used to underscore the undesirable result that is expected to be eliminated or avoided with knowing the information contained in the text. Sometimes, it takes a negative statement to drive home a specific message. A headline should be able to strike as directly as possible any situation faced by the reader. If this is achieved through a negative approach such as with the headline "Top Ten Investment Mistakes", then a negative headline is considered a good one.

There are several ways to come up with a winner headline. A headline could stress the need for quick action or select its readers at once with its choice of words. It could highlight a large audience looking for improvement, anticipate incredibility or provide a stopper ad that challenges the searcher to read. Do not forget to always state the benefit to ensure that articles will not be passed over.

Companies should include their unique selling proposition in their headlines. Emphasis on the wide range of choices as to size, color, features or prices could be made. Mention incentives or benefits such as lower price compared to competitors or free items and services.

Headlines that offer news are often successful. Anything newsworthy belongs at the top. Personalized headlines far outperform headlines that are general in nature. Humor and double meanings may not produce the desired effect and are widely considered as non-productive.
Determining the best headlines may require some testing. This is to test which headline pulls best. Many have harvested the benefit of the incredible results of simply altering a headline.

The vast difference between two proposed headlines might never be known without this test. Success can be achieved once website owners recognize the tremendous power of words through verbalization. Verbalization is a technique used in writing a headline to increase its impact by the way it is stated. As an added reminder, try writing from the "point of you" from time to time to get the readers' interest on a personal level.

About the Author
http://www.theinternetone.net

SiteProNews: The Importance Of Sound Website Design & Search Spiders To Internet Marketers

SiteProNews: The Importance Of Sound Website Design & Search Spiders To Internet Marketers

SiteProNews: August 21, 2006 Feature Article
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The Importance Of Sound Website Design & Search Spiders To Internet Marketers
By James Opiko (c) 2006

Google currently is reported to have indexed 8 billion pages and counting. Google utilizes an array of bots A.K.A. spiders or crawlers. Among the specialized bots Google uses include: The web spider Googlebot, the Adsense spider MediaBot, the image spider ImageBot, the AdWords spider AdsBot, the RSS feed spider FeedFetcher-Google, and Googlebot-Mobile spider for mobile devices. MSN & Yahoo, the other two of the 'big three' have their own proprietary versions of spiders. Why is it important for an Internet Marketer to know how spiders crawl your website? A search engine crawler is your best visitor. Giving a crawler easy and uninhibited movement in your website is necessary for good search engine rankings. Your website must be spider (search engine) friendly if you want any traffic from the search engines. A search engine spider does not read your website the way we humans do. The spider reads web-page source code (HTML) that renders your page, therefore 'bad code' can be an mpediment to the spider, sometimes causing it to give up crawling your website. Spiders love content (text) and do not read JavaScript at all, therefore a website that is packed with images with no ALT tags to assist the spiders, and heaps of JavaScript may not be indexed successfully. So, when designing your website you must incorporate structural website design principals that elicit search engine friendliness. An astute marketer should also desire to see how search engines see his or her site. This may be accomplished by a Lynx Viewer which is a text-mode web browser. Additionally, a Lynx Viewer can help you determine if your web pages are accessible to the vision impaired, an assemblage of visitors that should not be ignored ---yes, there are millions of visually impaired people surfing the Internet regularly. A quick search in Google for "Lynx Viewer" will yield numerous sources from which you can download this important tool for your use. Even though you must design your website with your visitors in mind first, it is crucial that you accord the search engines top level priority too, since the vast majority of these visitors will arrive via search engines. Practice good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) but not at the expense of your visitors' experience -- it is a balancing act that must be accomplished with prudence. Also of significant importance is the fact that web browser standards are not yet fully harmonized. A web page that looks great in Internet Explorer might look atrocious in a Mozilla based browser like Firefox or Netscape. Additionally, with the proliferation of hand held devices for browsing the Internet, compliance with W3C standards is becoming more and more critical. A marketer must therefore be conversant with the intricacies of cross-browser design -- designing for one browser (IE) is no longer ideal, as the Google backed FireFox is eating up Microsoft’s browser turf at an alarming rate. Anybody can "whip up" a web page in FrontPage without sufficient knowledge of HTML, but may not be able detect and correct the messy code that FrontPage generates underneath the page, some of which is proprietary to Microsoft. Consequently a website that looks superb in Microsoft Internet Explorer may look and load dreadfully in Opera and/or some other browser, denying you visitor traffic. Never use a Word Processor to design your website. Word Processing software generates tremendous amounts of code that is not search engine friendly. If you cannot hand-code using a text editor then it is necessary that you use authentic and industry standard web design software that incorporate the most up to date design principles. Macromedia's Dreamweaver and the latest version of Microsoft FrontPage are good candidates with Dreamweaver getting my partisan nod. A first-rate design strategy should include the use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and valid XHTML, the most current in the HTML generation of standards. Websites designed in strict W3C standards tend to be lighter, faster and cross-browser compatible. This is not to insinuate that table based design is going anywhere anytime soon, for it is my humble disputation that if strict W3C standards were to be enforced in browsers, 95% percent of websites would go out of business, furthermore the lack of inter-browser synchronization just worsens things. According to some surveys, more than 86% of all people arrive at websites through search engines. In 2006, PC World, arguably the most authoritative and widely-read computer and business magazine, reports that Google remains the site of choice for most surfers. "The double-digit increase in online search activity marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Internet consumer behavior," says Ken Cassar, senior director of analytics at Nielsen/NetRatings. "Online search is the primary tool most people rely on to do everyday research," he says. So, from a marketing perspective unless your site appears in the top 30 listings of the major search engines & directories, you will hardly get any worthwhile traffic. Therefore, Search Engine Positioning is vital to your marketing success on the web!
A top ranking in the search engines can bring you highly targeted traffic. If someone visits your site after searching for a product or service that you are selling, it means that he/she is interested in what you are selling and hence is a potential customer for you. Thus, search engines send pre-qualified customers to you. You can sell virtually anything on the Internet, but in order to succeed you must bring "targeted traffic" to your website....people who are ready to buy your products and services, the vast majority of who will arrive at your website through search engines. If your website is not designed suitably, Google and other search engines will disrespect your website. Respect brings in traffic which translates into the all important Dollars, "Kwacha," Euro or whatever you wish to call money. Remember, search engine bots are your most important visitors, you must seduce, "open your doors" and accommodate them in order to gain any measurable success in your Internet Marketing endeavor. ================================================================
James Opiko owns http://www.AfroArticles.com, an article
marketing directory. Dig here -
http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard/Category/SEO/239
AND here: http://www.apondosystems.com/marketing/
Articles-on-Search-Engine-Positioning/ for more articles on
Search Engine Positioning
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Capitalize on the unlimited Sales Potential of the web Today

I started buying and selling collectibles on the internet in 1995 as a part time venture,today its how I make my living!! If you are interested in setting up a selling operation on the Internet, be it selling antiques and collectibles, new merchandise or a unique product that you have access to, here are some of the pitfalls I encountered when I got started and how you can avoid them. There are a lot of really good sources of information and guidelines that are free or very low cost but they all require one very important item, Your Sincere Effort!Without your time and determination all the information and resources in the world are worthless. Starting your own business be it on line or in your home town is time consuming and like everything else in life you get out what you put into it. If you are looking for a no effort instant income solution don't waste your time here because I have yet to find any program that does not require Time, Determination and the willingness to Succeed. "Get Rich Quick" scams are all over the internet so be careful and remember that old adage,"If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is". The Basics: You need something to sell, AndYou need a place to sell it, web site, on-line auction or a setup online storefront. Lets start with "What to Sell". I buy and sell antiques and collectibles which I purchase from thrift stores, estate sales etc. It started out as a hobby and now it is a full time career for me. I enjoy shopping for others and thats basically what it is, I know what collectors want and I find it for them. If you are knowledgeable in another consumer product you can market that line of goods, clothing, books, stamps and coins, whatever.Do you know what the number one saleable product of all time is.... TaDa! "Information". Thats right plain and simple Information. Think about it, we are constantly seeking information, we watch and read the news, we buy books, take higher eductaion courses, we are online reading tutorials :-) I don't care who you are or where you come from, you know something that other folks would pay to know about. Good Grief I know a lady who makes darn good money on the internet selling her family recipe for chocolate cake!

There are thousands of businesses who will pay you to sell their products, they call it Affiliate Programs, we'll get into those later on. Another example, I retired from the home improvement business after 30 years now I get paid very good money as a consultant, I also have a "How To" information web site for home owners"Als Homeimprovement Center" where the advice is free but people pay me to put their ads on my web site pages.By now you get the idea, find a product or sell some information that you have and other people want.

Lets move on now to the next phase, "where to sell it"Option #1: You can sell thru the on-line auctions which I cover in great detail in my tutorial"Getting Started in Auctions". This is a lot of fun and you can make some very good money selling items you buy from yard sales, the junk in your garage and friends and neighbors will pay you to sell their junk!Option #2: You can sell thru setup storefronts provided by others. They provide you with a hosted storefront, shopping cart, merchant account and see to it that your store is promoted to the search engines. These services average about $50 per month and up. Option #3: Your get your own web hosting, your own domain and set up your own web site. A lot more work, not as expensive, your own unique domain name and you have full control over what you sell, how much you sell and how you sell it.

Before we get into the web sites and ready made storefronts I suggest you signup for a free 5 part email course on marketing. After floundering around on the net for a year or so I ran into Dale Miller and his offer of a free course on internet marketing. By the time I finished part 2 of the course I knew more than I had learned in all those thousands of hours I had spent reading advice from others and also from the very expensive "Golden Opportunity" program that I bought. Yes its true, in a moment of weakness and frustration, after trying and failing over and over I fell for the hype. I still have that course and it is for sale at a drastically reduced price! Dale Miller is a self made millionaire who has an outlook on life that is quite down to earth and his approach to marketing is quite blunt and to the point. His methods are proven, easy to apply and make a lot of sense. His advice and guidance was the turning point of my entire marketing strategy and the success of not only my auction business but also my other business ventures. This is the only recommendation of this type that you will see on my entire web site even though I get paid to put up other ads, try the free course, you will see what I mean.THE SUCCESS ARSENAL

At this point you can decide which route you want to take. The easiest and more expensive of the options are the ready made,Storefront Services.With these services you simply send them the photos of your items, fill in the blanks with descriptions, prices etc and they process the orders for you for a predetermined fee.

Option #2: You setup your own web site with your name, design it as you wish and provide your own merchant account, shopping cart etc. The biggest advantage to this approach is even though it is a lot more work, you have complete control over how your site looks, what you offer and also a much better chance of being listed with the search engines. With a storefront you are grouped in with the providers submission to the search engines and the odds of your store showing up are pretty slim.

Tips for Selling Products and Services Online

Have you considered selling products and/or services online? Have you already jumped into this lucrative market? If so, how are your sales? If you are reading this article then you most likely haven’t reached your sales goal. So read on to find out helpful tips for selling your products and services online.

Enlist the help of technological gurus to get you up and running on the Internet quickly. Don’t seek out a website design firm because they are often too slow. You need to manage the website.

Have the website designer create a shell model from which you can build your own websites.

You can learn how to create, manage, and update your WebPages in as little as a few hours.

Try to find inexpensive tools that are going to yield a high rate of return. An inexpensive tool that you must invest in is a “sequential Autoresponder”. A sequential Autoresponder sends out email after email to your customer list. You can send out a free e-course with this Autoresponder. Make sure that you send a product link as this can lead to sales conversions.

When you are selling products and services online it is beneficial to understand the type of revenue sources available. Utilize as many, or all, of these revenue sources to maximize profit.

The revenue sources include: direct sales, joint venture deals, residual affiliate program, EBay affiliates & EBay direct sales, Google AdSense program

The first revenue source is through direct sales. This includes sales letters which connect directly with the customer.

The second revenue source is joint venture deals. Joint venture deals entail working with another colleague to help sell each other’s products. You then give each other commissions.

The third revenue source is a residual affiliate program. A residual affiliate program is when you recommend a colleague’s service or product to help turn it into a sales conversion. Basically, you will earn a commission as an affiliate for life.

The fourth revenue source consists of EBay affiliates and EBay direct sales. EBay is growing significantly every day allowing EBay to be used as a lead generator.

The fifth revenue source is to participate in the Google AdSense program. In this program,

Google puts advertisements on your website for you and if somebody clicks on them, then you get paid.

Finally you can earn revenue from telephone seminars that you can disperse across the Internet and mentor coaching retreats.

Online Shopping Safety Tips

Understand how Internet auctions work.
Before you sign up to sell something, buy something first. The more you know about the process, the more likely you are to notice if a buyer isn't playing by the rules. Choose your auction site wisely.
All auction sites are not created equal. Before you decide where to sell your items, do a little research. Read and understand the site's privacy policy and check sites like Epinions or Consumer Reports for reviews.

Check out the buyer's reputation.
Many auction sites have a built-in system that allows you to rate other sellers according to your experience with them. It's wise to be wary of a buyer who has negative ratings as a seller. Before your auction closes, cancel bids from buyers who are known to submit bogus bids.
If you believe one of your buyers is bogus, you may be able to cancel their bid (depending on the auction service's policies), but only before the auction closes. Some auction sites even allow you to restrict an auction to pre-approved bidders or buyers only.

Consider using a third-party payment service.
Third-party payment services allow you to transfer money into an online account and make payments from that account without exposing your actual credit card or bank account information. These services are often preferred over using personal checks. Consider using an online escrow service for big ticket items.
An escrow service acts as a go-between, holding the buyer's money until the buyer receives and approves of the seller's item. The terms of escrow should be agreed upon by both sides; you may wish to make accepting those terms required to bid on your auction. See below for information about finding an escrow company you can trust.

Research any third-party payment or online escrow service a buyer wants to use before you agree.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received reports of fraudulent buyers who will insist that the seller use a third-party payment service or an escrow service, which turns out to be fraudulent. The seller ships the item to the escrow service, but never receives payment or the return of goods. For information on third-party payment services see Protect your privacy with online payment services.

Call the credit card company.
If you choose to accept credit cards, contact the company that issues the card to verify that the name on the card matches both the shipping information and the contact information you've received.

Use tracking services when shipping.
It is usually the buyer's responsibility to pay for shipping an auction item, but the seller typically chooses the shipping method. To help ensure that your item arrives in a timely manner, and to help prevent fraudulent buyers from claiming that they never received an item (when, in fact, they did), use a shipping service that includes tracking or consider paying or charging extra for tracking services.

Never respond to unsolicited requests to update your account information.
These are most likely a scam that could lead to identity theft. Most legitimate companies will never send you unsolicited e-mail or instant message requests for your passwords or other personal information. If you do receive such a request that you think may be legitimate, contact the company directly (not through the message you received) and ask for confirmation.

How to target your selling online to Females vs Males

Should a website that is targeting a female market use a different online approach to a website that is targeting a male market?

Absolutely yes.
Like most things in life, when it comes to online behaviour, men really are from Mars and women are from Venus.

If your target market is predominantly female, you need to prioritise the following three factors when putting together your online strategy*:
1. Entertainment valueWomen place greater importance on the entertainment value of a website compared to men, when deciding whether they are going to purchase online from that site.
2. Security and PrivacyA website's level of perceived security and privacy has a greater influence on a woman's ultimate purchasing decision.
3. ConvenienceWomen are much more motivated by the convenience benefits of shopping online. This includes the convenience of avoiding common factors associated with in-store shopping, such as crowds, time spent waiting in line, physical effort, stress and frustration.

Females greatly value the convenience of shopping to their own schedule and the fast speed of online purchasing.

However if your target market is mostly male, you should be focusing on the following two factors to maximise the effectiveness of your online strategy:
1. Previous online purchasing experienceMales are much more likely to purchase online again if they have already purchased a product or service (not necessarily yours) using the Internet.
2. Information and OrganisationWomen tend to go directly to the website where they intend to conduct their purchase while men are more likely to surf from site to site, gathering information before deciding where to buy.
Because men place greater emphasis on the online shopping process, they are more swayed by their attitudes to websites. They are more likely to be influenced by the informativeness and the organisation of the sites they visit.

The implications for your own business then become obvious. If women are your primary target, every aspect of your website and online communications campaign should guarantee the security and privacy of your customers' information. It would be wise to develop innovative entertainment components within your website, but ensure that this does not detract from the convenience of using your site. That is, don't create flash pages that take too long to load.

In comparison, if men are your primary target, you can generate more business by including detailed information on your product and service offerings, by structuring the website simply and ensuring strong usability. Repeat purchase incentives would also work particularly well.

Have You Heard of the Electronic Business Card?

An electronic business card is free and you can make one yourself. Many businesses and individuals use them. So you're probably wondering what it is and how you can create one.

Promote your website everytime you send an email and you will see your website traffic increase. It's simple, free, and essential - it's the humble email signature. A basic email signature for your business emails could include the details from your business card, such as:
Your name
Your position
Business name
Business address
Business phone numbers, fax numbers and your mobile number
Web address and email address

Your signature is attached to the bottom of your email so all your essential details are readily available for your clients in your email. Think of how many times you send your email out to people every day.

Do you pass out your business cards as much as that in a day? Not likely. Sure, some of your emails you send are to people you already know but people tend to forward informative or relevant emails onto colleagues and friends. Their friends may not have heard of you and your business before. So if you have your email signature on that email you have effectively passed your business card to more people than you would have expected. You can create really flashy email signatures that have images, music, fancy font and colours.

Flashy signatures with your actual signature at the bottom of your email are also available. Every email client, such as MS Outlook and web-based email, give you the option to add a signature to your emails. All you need to do is type up a simple email signature with the details presented above and turn on the signature option. This can usually be performed under the Options menu of your email client. Not hard at all is it? Your email signature acts as an electronic form of your business card by getting your details out to potential clients and it doesn't cost a cent.

Have You Heard of the Electronic Business Card?

An electronic business card is free and you can make one yourself. Many businesses and individuals use them. So you're probably wondering what it is and how you can create one.

Promote your website everytime you send an email and you will see your website traffic increase.

It's simple, free, and essential - it's the humble email signature.

A basic email signature for your business emails could include the details from your business card, such as:
Your name
Your position
Business name
Business address
Business phone numbers, fax numbers and your mobile number
Web address and email address

Your signature is attached to the bottom of your email so all your essential details are readily available for your clients in your email.

Think of how many times you send your email out to people every day. Do you pass out your business cards as much as that in a day? Not likely.

Sure, some of your emails you send are to people you already know but people tend to forward informative or relevant emails onto colleagues and friends. Their friends may not have heard of you and your business before.

So if you have your email signature on that email you have effectively passed your business card to more people than you would have expected.

You can create really flashy email signatures that have images, music, fancy font and colours.

Flashy signatures with your actual signature at the bottom of your email are also available.

Every email client, such as MS Outlook and web-based email, give you the option to add a signature to your emails. All you need to do is type up a simple email signature with the details presented above and turn on the signature option. This can usually be performed under the

Options menu of your email client.

Not hard at all is it? Your email signature acts as an electronic form of your business card by getting your details out to potential clients and it doesn't cost a cent.

Why your customers won't buy from your website

Why your customers won't buy from your website

In a previous newsletter, we've discussed how important it is for your website to be Informative, Well Organised and Entertaining. Studies have found that these are the three main criteria customers will often use to form their opinion about any type of website.

These three factors are also important in influencing a customer's decision to buy your product or service online. However, they are not the only major influences.

There are 2 other key factors that influence whether or not your customers will buy online.

These factors (supported by recent academic studies) are:

1. Perceived Security of your site
Browsers have significant concerns about the risks associated with providing their credit card details and personal information online. If you want to dramatically increase the level of purchases made online at your site, it may be necessary to target a significant portion of your online campaign at alleviating your customers' security fears. Clearly, reassurances about security and privacy provided by online retailers to date appear to have been largely ineffective.

A risk-free security policy (e.g. automatic refund for queried transactions) from the perspective of the consumer may mean your company as the service provider bears greater risk. But weigh this up against the alternative, which is lower or no online sales at all.

2. Previous online purchasing experience
Research has shown that browsers who have purchased online previously are more likely to purchase again. The implication for your business is that it may be more logical to focus communication and marketing strategies on targeting those who have purchased online previously - e.g., advertise on other online vendor sites, gain databases of people who have purchased from websites. By targeting these people, you are increasing your chances of reaching buyers who are already accustomed to online purchasing.

It may also be easier and more cost effective for you to focus on generating repeat business from your own previous online customers.

Some interesting findings to arise from recent internet studies have been the things which do NOT influence the online purchasing intentions of consumers. Factors which buyers find insignificant when deciding whether to purchase online or offline include price, seller reliability and convenience.

To find out how Freestylemedia can extend your online marketing strategy to maximise this knowledge about consumer online purchasing habits, email: fred@freestylemedia.com.au

10 secrets to great email marketing - Part 2

10 secrets to great email marketing - Part 2:

Following our last e-newsletter on email marketing, here are the next 5 secrets to building a great email campaign. To receive the first five, email info@freestylemedia.com.au

6. Give me a reason to refer
At the bottom of your email put a small blurb. "If you know of anyone else who would be interested in this offer please forward them this email." It is very logical for someone to do this, although it is surprising the difference this small blurb makes. Give your customers a reason to refer a friend and you will see an even better response rate.

7. Layout of the email
Understand how your audience is going to read their email. People who use Outlook Express will generally view your email in this small box. What that means for your email is that it needs to convey its message in that little box and give them a reason to scroll down.
It's the same with hotmail browsers, you only have a small window to display your message. Ensure that your offer can be quickly seen otherwise the buyer will browse to the next email.

8. Tune into WIIFM
The WIIFM (What's in it for me?) station is a favourite station when it comes to accepting special sales offers. Ensure that your buyer has a clear and simple way of accepting your offer. Click here to receive a free case study.., Reply to this email to receive a free copy .., Place your name in the form to begin your registration process.

9. Flashy images vs Text
There must be a balance between images and text in email marketing. Preferably more text than images. Images are slow to load and people tend to just read what they are looking at. One image plus a single link with the call to action in actual text is ideal .

10. Clean Subjects
Ensure that you have a subject line that is catchy enough for your email to be opened and relevant enough for the email to be read all the way through. Some possible subject lines are:
Questions, "Are you struggling to find clients?"Great Adjectives "Exclusive unveiling of the new product"

For more information on email marketing campaigns, contact Fred Schebestafred@freestylemedia.com.au

10 secrets to great email marketing - Part 1

10 secrets to great email marketing

The debate about snailmail versus email rages on between the old timer marketers and the new age digital marketers. This article is going to give you the inside word from a digital marketer's perspective on how to increase your response rates and generate a multitude of leads.

1. No mistakes!

Broken links and broken images are an instant detraction from what you are offering. Not only does it damage the image of the company but it also disables the customer from accepting the offer. For example, I once received an email with an offer in it for a conference, but the link to sign up to the offer did not work. Instantly this reflected very poorly on the company and a valuable customer was lost.

2. Make it a quick message for a quick medium

You have 3 seconds to grab your customer's attention otherwise they can just press delete or move onto the next email. When you play tennis and someone hits the ball hard to you, usually your instant reaction is to hit the ball hard back. This is the same with emails. The message is transferred quickly and people tend to read and discard them quickly. You'll find that potential buyers rarely reread a newsletter they have received over email.

3. Send more than one email in the campaign

After you have sent your initial email with its offer send another one a week later saying that the offer has almost expired. You need to weigh up the number of times you do this with how annoyed the receiver will get. Keep doing this until you feel there is nothing more to be gained. This creates urgency for the reader and anyone who does not want to receive the email will just remove himself or herself from the mailing list.

4. Email link to websites

Your call to action is crucial. Direct buyers to a website or to reply to the email. Ensure that your offer is clearly displayed and it is clearly understood how to accept the offer. You will receive much faster response rates if you link to a website instead of asking the buyer to pick up a telephone and call you.

5. Reply to your responses

A quick response to your emails is going to ensure that your hot lead turns into a sale. Unlike with other mediums the time between when your offer is delivered and when it can be acted upon is very short. After receiving an email you can effectively purchase, book, apply or register for anything on the internet in a matter of clicks. This speed is required in returning to your leads as they will expect you to receive their email in your inbox as soon as they send it. As a rule, your response time should not be longer than 12 hours.

6. Give me a reason to refer

At the bottom of your email put a small blurb. "If you know of anyone else who would be interested in this offer please forward them this email." It is very logical for someone to do this, although it is surprising the difference this small blurb makes. Give your customers a reason to refer a friend and you will see an even better response rate.

7. Layout of the email

Understand how your audience is going to read their email. People who use Outlook Express will generally view your email in this small box. What that means for your email is that it needs to convey its message in that little box and give them a reason to scroll down.
It's the same with hotmail browsers, you only have a small window to display your message. Ensure that your offer can be quickly seen otherwise the buyer will browse to the next email.

8. Tune into WIIFM

The WIIFM (What's in it for me?) station is a favourite station when it comes to accepting special sales offers. Ensure that your buyer has a clear and simple way of accepting your offer. Click here to receive a free case study.., Reply to this email to receive a free copy .., Place your name in the form to begin your registration process.

9. Flashy images vs Text

There must be a balance between images and text in email marketing. Preferably more text than images. Images are slow to load and people tend to just read what they are looking at. One image plus a single link with the call to action in actual text is ideal .

10. Clean Subjects

Ensure that you have a subject line that is catchy enough for your email to be opened and relevant enough for the email to be read all the way through. Some possible subject lines are:
Questions, "Are you struggling to find clients?"Great Adjectives "Exclusive unveiling of the new product"

For more information on email marketing campaigns, contact Fred Schebestafred@freestylemedia.com.au

What the new Spam Act means for your business

On 11 April 2004, new legislation will come into effect that will make spam illegal under Australian law.

Businesses who breach the Spam Act and continue to send out spam could find themselves subject to penalties of up $1.1million for each day of infringement.

Generally, the Act means that you are prohibited from sending unsolicited commercial electronic messages that have an Australian link. This can be interpreted as any message that is sent from, or received within, Australia.

More specifically, your business's commercial electronic messages must:

1. Contain accurate sender information
2. Not be sent without the recipient's express or implied consent
3. Offer the facility for the recipient to opt-out or unsubscribe from future correspondence.

An important point for marketers to note is that the new law also prohibits the acquisition or use of email address lists.

Businesses should be aware that the new legislation is not limited to just emails. 'Electronic messages' also includes SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) and IM (Instant Messaging) communications. But at the moment, it does not appear to include standard phone or fax messaging.

Search Engine Optimization

Free Web Site Promotion Guide
Search engine optimization; use keywords and meta tags to get the click. Works for google search engine placement, search engine positioning, search engine ranking etc...

Use Keywords And Metatags To Get The Click!
Article by Steve M Nash

Now everyone knows that you need to choose keywords and meta tags to make your site search-engine-friendly (don't they?).
And pages should be 'optimised' BEFORE you submit them to the search engines.
Search engine optimization is really not that difficult, but it is important: no-one visits your site if they can't find it on the first few pages of a search engine.

A good way of 'getting found' is to choose high-demand low-supply keywords (like "free nokia ringtones"), and to create pages optimised for those keywords. (Obviously, you need to find keywords relevant to your website.) The basic guidelines, below, show you how to optimise your pages - how to make sure your site gets the click.
But how do you find these profitable high-demand low-supply keywords in the first place?

Use this resource
Wordtracker is a free tool that allows you to brainstorm keywords and determine which of those keywords (if any) have little competition on the net (which are most 'profitable'). You simply add suitable keywords to a basket, and their profitability is determined using AltaVista as the search engine (the paid-for tool determines profitability using all of the major search engines).
Wordtracker is a powerful tool endorsed and used by many so-called search engine experts. You should use it too, to improve your chances of getting the click.
See how Wordtracker can help you!

Study these basic search engine optimization guidelines
Many of the major search engines behave differently to each other when it comes to choosing the best pages.
Worse than this though, is that some use metatags and some ignore them completely, preferring only to rely on page content (with weighting given to words at the top of the page). Even worse still, the search engines constantly change their ranking rules (algorithms).
So understand that these are only basic guidelines. However, they should help your web pages rank better with the search engines, over time:

TITLE tag should be between 5 and 12 words (Most important tag!)

1. Meta DESCRIPTION tag should be between 5 and 20 words


2. TITLE and Meta DESCRIPTION should be different. Combine bothto encourage someone looking at a busy page of search resultsto click your link, rather than someone else's.


3. Meta KEYWORDS tag should be between 0 and 50 words


4. HEADING Tags should be used, if possible (these tags are usedinstead of Meta DESCRIPTION tag, sometimes)


5. Meta KEYWORDS tag should contain words that exist in TITLE andMeta DESCRIPTION tag (as well as in page content)


6. Do not use too many COMMENT tags, or Image ALT tags,especially if you stuff them with keywords


7. Word order matters; e.g. uk optimization is not optimization UK

Recommend this site to a friend or colleague

Subscribe to one of my popular mailing lists

Link to this site from your site

Again, these are basic guidelines - don't take them too literally. Remember, the most important content for the search engines is also the most important content for your site visitors - your actual page content.

Read more...
You can find out a great deal more about keywords, metatags etc. from the following excellent resources:
http://spider-food.net/

http://searchenginewatch.com/webmasters/meta.html

http://www.searchengines.com/

Remember that search engines are getting more and more sophisticated. Concentrate on creating valuable keyword-rich pages that your site visitors will like, the search engines will like them too! And your site is sure to get the click! Search engine optimization - as simple as that!

The Art of Selling Online

The Art of Selling Online
by Joan Sotkin

Do you have the sales skills you need to effectively sell your product(s) or service(s) on the Net? As with any business venture, if you don't know how to close a sale, you're not going to generate much income.

The selling process starts with your Website, which is, in effect, a sales presentation. Who wrote the copy for your Website? If you did, do you know how to write effective direct response copy? (Copy that elicits a specific response, such as placing an order, from your prospect.) Or, if your Website designer prepared the copy, does he/she have good sales presentation skills?

The fact is, a large number of Websites owned by small businesses and professional practitioners have weak sales presentations. They are missing two basic elements, which we will talk about here:
1) benefits-oriented copy and 2) a strong call to action.

>>>Benefits, Benefits, Benefits<<< http://www.landsend.com/. The home page is filled with calls to action and benefits. The product descriptions are artful -- very dynamic and enticing.

>>>What's Your Call to Action?<<< mailto:information@yourdomain.com. (link) "

If you are selling a product and you have a shopping cart, be sure something says, "Add to Cart"
If you don't use a cart, I suggest a link that says, "For ordering options, click here" or "Find out how to order our widgit now!" (This would be a link.)

The page with ordering options should clearly state how people can order your product. Language should be clear and direct. Don't say, "Please fill out our order form." Instead, say "Use our secure order form."
Make this a link to your form.

At the end of every page on your site, have a call-to-action -- and make it something more than "Contact Us." If I don't have anything else, I'll use a click-Go link box that says "Choose a Location." On the selection list will be often be an action such as "Ask a Question" or "Order Now."

>>>Exercise:<<< http://www.yourdomain.com
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