My First Year In Cyber Space

My first year as a Cyberpreneur was a steeplearning-curve. I was an academic beforestarting an online business, so I had a lot to learn.But even if you were in offline-business before goingonline, you may still have to learn some new skills-online business is a whole new ball-game. Here aresome of the things I learnt in my first year in CyberSpace:

(1) Be careful who you register your domain with.Some domain name registrars make it very difficult tochange your web host.

I registered my first two domains with a registrarthat caused me more headaches than I care to thinkabout.

When I needed to transfer one of my domain names to anew web host, my original email address had changed. Iwas no longer able to send them an email from thataddress and so I couldn't authenticate my request fordomain transfer.

So I tried to update my personal record with my newemail address. I got a message saying that I couldonly change my email address by sending an email frommy original email address (which no longer existed).

This bureaucratic nightmare went on for 4 weeks. Toadd to my frustration, I was communicating with amachine, not a human being. By the end of that time Ihad no less than 35 computer-generated emails tellingme that my domain could not be transferred.

Finally, I sent my request for domain transfer in a5-page fax, including photocopy of my passport. Theythen sent me an email saying my request for domaintransfer could not be processed because my request wasnot on company letterhead.

So I designed a letterhead and re-submitted the 5-pagefax. Finally, 6 weeks after my first request, my domain wastransferred.

To avoid this kind of experience I recommend you useregister.com: http://www.register.com

Using their online Domain Manager, it took me lessthan two minutes to transfer my domain!

(2) A slow-loading index page is still one of themain reasons that online businesses lose customers.

Surveys show that the average surfer will wait no morethan 8 seconds for a web page to load before movingonto another website. So 'load-time' is a vitalconsideration when you choose a web host.

Below is a website that allows you to check the load-timeof a web host:http://www.hostpulse.com/app/networktools/ping.asp

(3) Once you've designed your home page and uploadedit to your server space, check to see what it lookslike to other people. What you're seeing may not bewhat other people are seeing.

I once designed a home page I was very proud of - Ihad added a piece of javascript that gave the day anddate.

Then one day I checked my home page at Anybrowser.com.I was horrified to see that my home page was invisibleexcept for my company logo and the navigation bar. Fortwo weeks it had been virtually blank to mostvisitors! So take a minute and look at your websitethrough your visitors' browser:http://www.anybrowser.com/siteviewer.html

(4) If a customer asks you for a refund, give it tothem immediately, even if you think it's unjustified.You'll be out of pocket by a few dollars, but yourname and your integrity will be intact. Your good nameis perhaps your most precious commodity on theInternet. Remember these words from Shakespeare:

"Who steals my purse steals trash;

'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;

But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed."

(Othello, Act III. Scene III.)

(5) Reply to emails quickly. Nothing impresses memore on the Internet than a rapid response to abusiness enquiry. Try and respond within 2 hours, orat least within 24 hours.

(6) Never reply angrily to abusive emails or flames.People who send flames want you to reply, but there isnothing to be gained by replying. An abusive email canbe very disturbing, but the best thing to do is ignoreit. Better still delete it - that way you remove itfrom your life and you remove the temptation to reply.

(7) Lastly, never give up. Most successes are due tosheer persistence:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of

persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common

than unsuccessful men of talent. Genius will not; the

world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and

determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, 'press

on' has solved, and always will solve, the problems of

the human race." (Calvin Coolidge)

------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3
years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this
simple technique to build a successful online business. Click
here to find out more: http://ezine-writer.com/
------------------------------------------------------------

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Google News Updated : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:08:57 GMT Store eases baby bottleneck - Chicago Tribune dBTechno Store eases baby bottleneck Chicago Tribune - 19 hours ago When Georgette Finnie e-mailed What's Your Problem? on Aug. 25, she was 9 months' pregnant with her first child. The expectant mom had done some research about the baby bottles she had received as gifts through her baby registry at Babies "R" Us. Hot Docs: Defending Georgia, Girls Married by 15, the Chemical BPA ... U.S. News & World Report That Plastic Baby Bottle New York Times Food Consumer - Washington Post - Times of India - eFluxMedia all 362 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:18:53 GMT "Stand Up to Cancer" tops Friday ratings - Reuters ABC News "Stand Up to Cancer" tops Friday ratings Reuters - 31 minutes ago By Paul J. Gough NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The industrywide "Stand Up to Cancer" telethon averaged a modest 10.3 million viewers during its hour-long simulcast on ABC, NBC and CBS Friday. In a star-heavy telethon, Hollywood takes a stand on cancer Boston Globe 'Stand Up to Cancer' Raises $100M Plus ABC News The Associated Press - Orlando Sentinel - Showbiz Spy all 164 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:37:28 GMT Hurricane Ike Crosses Northeast Cuba After Landfall (Update1) - Bloomberg RTE.ie Hurricane Ike Crosses Northeast Cuba After Landfall (Update1) Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By Aaron Sheldrick and Demian McLean Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Ike is crossing Cuba after smashing into the northeast of the country with winds of 205 kilometers (125 miles) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center. Video: Raw Video: Ike's Harsh Impact on Turks and Caico AssociatedPress Hurricane Ike set to batter Cuba BBC News Los Angeles Times - Reuters - Reuters UK - CNN International all 4,240 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:56:09 GMT New Zealand compromises on India nuclear deal - Xinhua BBC News New Zealand compromises on India nuclear deal Xinhua - 32 minutes ago WELLINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government said on Monday that it got the best deal it could on nuclear trade with India. Indian shares rise more than 4 pct early Reuters Indian rupee rises as stocks rally seen Reuters India Inter Press Service - Monsters and Critics.com - Financial Times - Washington Post all 2,384 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:36:42 GMT Fla. Keys residents weigh evacuation ahead of Ike - The Associated Press China Daily Fla. Keys residents weigh evacuation ahead of Ike The Associated Press - 48 minutes ago KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - As a ferocious Hurricane Ike ripped across Cuba, residents from Key West to the Gulf Coast watched the storm's unpredictable path, worrying it could hit anywhere in the US from Texas to Florida. 'Hurricane fatigue' shows DetNews.com Louisiana still possibility for Ike Opelousas Daily World Biloxi Sun Herald - The News-Press - Reiten Television KXMB Bismarck - Carlsbad Current Argus all 1,660 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:20:42 GMT Persistence pays off for Serena at US Open - FOXSports.com ESPN Persistence pays off for Serena at US Open FOXSports.com - 30 minutes ago by Matt Cronin, Special to FOXSports.com NEW YORK - About nine days after Serena Williams lost in the Wimbledon final to her elder sister, Venus, she was still killing herself, unable to shake her mind of the errors that came late in a contest that she ... Williams beats Jankovic for title, No. 1 ranking San Francisco Chronicle Winning US Open never gets old for Serena Williams Los Angeles Times Boston Globe - Sports Network - New York Times - ESPN all 2,499 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:38:21 GMT McCain Leads Obama 50% to 46%, New Poll Finds, USA Today Reports - Bloomberg McCain Leads Obama 50% to 46%, New Poll Finds, USA Today Reports Bloomberg - 30 minutes ago By James Kraus Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain leads Democratic contender Barack Obama by 50 percent to 46 percent among registered voters, according to a weekend USA Today/Gallup Poll, USA Today reported. Convention rejuvenates GOP USA Today US campaign sharpens as McCain takes poll lead AFP Reuters - The Associated Press - KVOA.com - Boston Herald all 767 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:38:07 GMT RSS Datafeeds Amazon Associate Feed

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