My 2¢ Worth

 belong to an organization which subscribes to the notion that you can't control other people. This week I've found out just how true that is.

've got half a dozen interviewees that for whatever reason are dragging their feet on completing our interview. Wether they've simply lost interest or have other projects in their lives, I don't know.

 also have a client I completed work for 2½ weeks ago. He hasn't responded to my E-mails to say wether he likes what I've done or not. I'd really like to wrap up this project and get paid for my work. I don't know what this man's problem is, but it's becoming exasperating!

his organization I belong to also believes that while you cannot control other people; you can control your attitude. No matter what person or situation in your life is bugging you today, while you may not be able to change that person or situation, you do have the power to change your attitude.

emember that old song, Don't Worry, Be Happy? While that over-simplifies the matter, there's still a lot of truth in it. So I make it a point in my life to change my negative attitudes into something positive and to be of good cheer.

Feature Article

Get Business Now:
Play by the Marketing Rules

by: Charlie Cook charliecook.net

Marketing a business is like any game. If you know the rules you are much more likely to win. All to often small businesses spend their limited time and money on advertising, networking, making calls, mailings, meeting with prospects, yet only achieve middling results. The problem isn't that they don't know their business or provide high quality products and services, its that they don't know the rules of the marketing game.

Marketing To Win
To win the marketing game, you need to know the rules. The key rules to getting the clients you want are:

1. Market Solutions
2. Target Your Market
3. Demonstrate Value
4. Build Your Network
5. Stay in Touch

1. Market Solutions

Most service professionals focus their marketing on their expertise, their approach and the products and services they offer. While competence is a key to doing the work, most clients' primary concern is getting problems solved and having their spoken and unspoken needs met. Instead of marketing your credentials, your processes and methodology, market your knowledge and the solutions you offer.

Marketing is about making connections, specifically between a client's unmet need and the solutions you provide. The best way to impress clients is to show them you understand the problems they are experiencing. If you want to leverage your credentials, mention past clients when you provide examples of how you solved similar problems.

2. Target Your Market

Are you getting a positive response to your marketing efforts? If not, then you may not have targeted your market and their specific needs and interests precisely enough. Independent professionals or small business owners often try to do the impossible and be everything to everybody. Instead define your niche market and get the attention of this group.

3. Demonstrate Value

Actions speak louder than words. If you want clients to be aware of the value of your products or services, you will need to give them a test drive. Open the door with newsletters, workshops, a free session or articles found on your web site. Over time demonstrating the value you provide will convince prospective clients of your ability to solve their problems and help position you as a trusted advisor.

4. Build Your Network

The objective is to know who is interested in your products and services. Networking is a good idea because people like to buy products from people they know and trust. If they've met you or been referred to you they are more likely to trust you.

Depending on the business you are in, you can build your network of prospects through conventional networking or through your web site and email. Either way the more qualified prospects you have in your network the better.

5. Stay in Touch

Memories are short. Once we hit middle age most of us can't remember what we had for dinner two days ago, much less the host of services various firms provide. In most cases its safe to assume your target market has forgotten about the range of solutions you offer, if they remember you at all.

Stay in touch with your target market on a monthly or, at a minimum quarterly basis. When you contact people be clear about the action you want prospective, existing and past clients to take.

Win the Marketing Game
Once you know the rules to marketing you can apply them to map out your marketing strategy, and to select marketing tactics that will leave your competition in the dust.

**************

2003 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
The author, Marketing Coach, Charlie Cook, has developed a marketing guide for independent professionals and small business owners who want to improve their marketing. In it he shows you how to attract the clients you want. Get a copy of the free marketing guide now:
CLICK HERE ==> www.charliecook.net

Preformating Your Forms

The <form> tag is used to set up input forms on your web site. To properly align your forms, instead of using a table, try using the <pre> tag for the same results. Your form will be displayed exactly as you format it within your HTML.

By preformatting your forms, not only will it save you some time, but it will also cut down on your HTML code and speed up your web sites load time.

Example:

<form>
<pre>
Name: <input type="text">
E-mail: <imput type="text">
</pre>
</form>

* Get these syndicated tip feeds for yourweb site, free. *

Second Article

How to REALLY backup the Windows Registry

by: Stephen Bucaro Bucaro TecHelp

In Windows 3.x configuration information was stored in human readable text files like win.ini, system.ini, config.sys, and autoexec.bat. But that method of storing configuration was inadequate to store configuration for the enormous amount of bloat Microsoft put into Windows 95 and higher.

In Windows 95 and higher, configuration information is stored in the "registry". The word "registry" rarely appears without being accompanied by the word "warning", and a vague description of how your computer will go up in smoke if you even think about messing with the registry.

The registry is bloated and overcomplicated, but since it is the central repository for almost all of Windows configuration information, you will probably have to deal with it sooner or later. In fact, if you ever require the assistance of a support technician, the first thing they will instruct you to do is open registry editor.

It is perfectly safe for you to work with the registry, provided that you back it up first (and you know how to restore it). Windows automatically creates a backup of the registry every time you start your computer. But when you are making configuration changes, you usually have to reboot your computer several times, possibly writing bad data to the backup.

To make your own backup of the registry, start your system with your startup floppy disk. (If you can’t find your startup disk, use the Add/Remove utility in Control Panel to make a new one. Place a copy of the file attrib.exe from the c:\windows\command folder on the disk.)

After you start your system with your startup disk, use DOS to change to the C:\WINDOWS directory (type c: then cd windows). Then carefully type in the following DOS commands.

attrib -s -h -r system.dat attrib -s -h -r user.dat copy system.dat c:\ copy user.dat c:\ attrib +s +h +r system.dat attrib +s +h +r user.dat

Note: if your system is Windows Me, also back up classes.dat

Then remove the startup disk and restart your system.

Why did I put you through such a laborious method just to make a copy of two files? Could you just use Window’s Explorer to copy the files? Could you use the Registry Editor (Regedit) to back up the registry (or Windows Me System Restore)?

Yes, you could. But what if your system crashed so that it can’t even start in Safe Mode? Then you can’t use any of those Windows programs to restore the registry. I put you through the DOS method to make sure:

1. The boot sequence in your BIOS is setup to boot from the A: drive.
2. You have the minimum proficiency with DOS to restore the registry if required.
3. To make sure that you have a copy of attrib.exe on your startup disk.

To restore the registry, start your system with your startup disk. Use DOS to change to the c:\windows directory. Then type in the following commands.

attrib -s -h -r system.dat attrib -s -h -r user.dat del system.dat del user.dat cd \ copy system.dat c:\windows copy user.dat c:\windows cd windows attrib +s +h +r system.dat attrib +s +h +r user.dat

Then remove the startup disk and restart your system.

My advice is to frequently use Windows Explorer to make copies of the registry files. Make copies of the registry files before you install any hardware or software or make any changes to the registry. Make sure you are prepared to use your startup disk and DOS to restore the registry.

**************

Copyright©2002 Bucaro TecHelp.
To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com

Comments?

If you'd like to comment on any aspect of this publication, send an E-mail to
comments@ paradigmwebdesign.net

---

If you enjoyed The Web Sm@rts Newsletter, forward it to your friends, family and associates. They'll thank you for it!

---

Do you know someone who might be interested in receiving
Web Sm@rts?
Recommend us!

---

NOTE: You have received this message because you or one of your friends added your name to our list of those who may wish to receive this newsletter.

If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please point your browser to http://paradigmwebdesign.net/unsubscribe.html

FYI: Web Sm@rts will never share your E-mail address or personal information with any other party for any reason what-so-ever.

---

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited.
To unsubscribe, point your browser to http://paradigmwebdesign.net/unsubscribe.html

Tell them Web Sm@rts referred you!

Recommended Reading

I highly recommend the following E-zines.

ThePortalToSuccessE-Zine

Interactive Marketing Ezine

Looking for free newsletters? Just visit the EzineXchange, Select the ones of interest and subscribe. It's free!
ezinexchange.com

Find other great e-mail newsletters and Ezines at the Cumuli Ezine Finder: www.cumuli.com/ezines/

Web Site and E-zine Promotion for Idiots
Get your copy from PWD and get lots of traffic to your Web Site or E- zine instantly.

Use Link Crafter to drive more traffic to your site. Free download from PWD.
lc.exe

Text Tally from
Harmony Hollow software
is a handy text counting utility. Download it free from PWD
Download now

E-Zine Advertising WORKS!
Place your ad in 100s of e-zines like this one. The E-Zine AdSource Directory is the place to find discount e-zine ad space. Come see!
ezineadsource.com

Tutorials

Elated Webdesign Tips
Javagoodies JavaScript Repository
Website Abstraction Westciv: CSS Resources