My 2¢ Worth

've got a pet peeve. Well, actually I have many. My latest though, is the term "joint venture" which is thrown around the Web these days as if it really matters.

ou know the type. I easily receive at least a half a dozen E-mails each day from some one with their latest joint venture offer. These joint ventures, or jv s, are where somebody offers you a specific sum (usually a percentage) of money to promote and sell their product(s).

hat's not a joint venture! That is affiliate marketing.

ow I've nothing against affiliate marketing, per se. Many folks have made and continue to make good money with affiliate marketing. While I much prefer to sell my own products or services — that's just a personal thing. There is nothing inherently wrong with marketing a good product at a fair price, even if it is somebody else's product.

y problem is with the terminology. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck — then call it a duck!

o don't send an E-mail offing to jv with me when all you really want me to do is sell your product. I'll ignore such requests. However if you come right out and tell me that you wish me to be an affiliate, then I'll gladly consider your offer.

Feature Article

How to Make Your Business Card Call for Action

by: Christopher Brunner

An old marketing adage goes something like this:

"He who has a thing to sell
And goes and whispers in a well,
Is not as apt to get the dollars
As he who climbs a tree and hollers."

Most business cards whisper. If they speak to your prospect at all, they do so quietly. Many don't say much at all. And because of that, a potential customer never learns about your award-winning service department, or your extended hours, or your playroom area for the kids.

Instead, your card is tossed into the wastebasket and your competitor's card is carefully tucked into a Rolodex.

True, business cards do more than convey the information that's printed on the card. A card that's ugly, dirty, printed on perforated paper or full of corrections screams loud and clear that you're an amateur. No matter how many wonderful services you offer, your card brands you as unprofessional and you lose business. A clean, creative, professionally printed and visually attractive card, on the other hand, conveys a positive first impression that lingers long after your initial meeting.

Still, a savvy businessperson knows that adding marketing-oriented text to a business card in addition to contact information pays off.

One strategy is to add text that gives specific customer benefits.

For example, your card can tell people how easy you are to do business with by adding a slogan or tagline such as:

• Easy to PAY - "Credit cards and competitor's coupons accepted"
• Easy to FIND - "Located next to ___ in the heart of ___"
• Easy to BUY - "Walk-ins welcome. No appointment required."
• Easy to BUY - "Express check-in and check-out."
• Easy to get EXPERT ADVICE - "Pharmacist on duty around the clock."

Better yet, your business card can be a marketing tool that asks for your prospect's business. Asking people via your business card to visit your store or log onto your website is a great idea. But in order for this strategy to be effective, you need to be specific, and you need to give people a reason to do what you request.

Consider the following types of phrases often found on business cards:

• Visit today
• Stop by and see us!
• Customer service is our priority
• In business for 25 years

The first two immediately raise the question, "Why?" Why should someone come visit your store? Your prospect is busy, and she's not stupid. She knows you want her to come into your showroom, fall in love with the latest model, and walk out thousands of dollars poorer. So you need to give her a reason to come in.

These calls to action are much more powerful:

• "Present this card for a free watch battery"; or
• "Ask for Fred to receive your first oil change free!"; or
• "Log onto YourCompany.com for current discount coupons!"

The last two phrases sound good but are so overused that they're almost meaningless. What do they actually say to your customer?

Do you you promise to return phone calls within 15 minutes, or that you provide a late-model loaner car while theirs is being serviced?

Do you offer jewelry repair is done on-site by a certified technician, or that you offer a complimentary two-year extension to the manufacturer's warranty?

Then say so on your business card! Let the holder know why you are the person they should come to when they need the services you provide.

Using a business card merely to convey contact information is downright wasteful. Your business card can be the most portable, affordable and versatile marketing method you use - but not if it's quiet about your services or shy about your accomplishments.

Investing in full color business cards that grab attention and appear more valuable will help you to gain new prospects. Your clients will love them, and you will enjoy handing them out.

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

Christopher Brunner is interested in helping you gain more clients with your business cards. Browse one of the web's largest collection of business card networking articles and create eye-catching business cards online at www.greatfxbusinesscards.com

Descriptive links

As you point to links on a web page, most browsers will display the address which that link points to on the status bar. Do you think that's boring? Well, why not spice up your pages by describing those links?

Simply add the "OnMouseOver" tag (or event) to your anchor in the following format:

<A href="index.html" OnMouseOver="window.status='Enter our home page...'; return true;">

NOTE: Since OnMouseOver is a JavaScript event, your description will only appear on JavaScript enabled browsers such as Netscape 2.x+ and Explorer 3.x. Other browsers will ignore this tag. The same goes for those surfing with JavaScript turned off in their browsers.

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

Second Article

Computer Repair Is Something We Should All Be Familiar With

by: Bert Cervelli Avid Computer

In this day and age, a large number of the world's population has a computer in the home. Computers are wonderful machines that make our lives much simpler. We can keep in contct with others, take care of business issues, and makes friends all from the comfort of our home. A computer problem, then, can mean disaster, so you should know a little something about how to fix your computer.

Many people who have computer problems, no matter how small, decide to take them to their local repair shop. If you check out the computer when it first has a problem, though, you can probably solve it on your own. The major exception are hardware issues, which you may need help to solve.

The most common problem associated with computer repair is broken files, viruses, or something within the OS (Operating System). Most users have Windows as their OS, which is the common shipping platform with new computers. Although Windows is the most common, repair places are trained and familiar with all Operating Systems.

If you try to open a program and cannot, the error often is a missing file. The file that is missing is needed to open the program. Many new users will panic when they see this problem, thinking that some is very wrong with their system. In reality, you can likely fix this glitch by uninstalling and reinstalling the program you could not access.

While most people have virus protection, it can be a problem when they get them. There are so many viruses in existence that you should have virus protection software and keep it updated. There are many horror stories out there about viruses, and you can ask people about them if you don't see the need to protect yourself. Viruses won't destroy your computer. They can, however, delete files or cause other problems with your data.

There are programs out there, such as Norton Systemworks that will help you with your anti-virus and basic computer repair. Programs such as this one will keep you free from viruses, as well as fix minor and common problems with your pc. All you need to do is run it once a week or so, and you'll be error free. Thousands of people rely on these programs for a reason - they actually work!

If you have a major problem such as a power supply failure or a motherboard crash, you may not want to fix it yourself. If you have experience in computer repair, you will probably be ok to fix the problem. Otherwise, you should take it to a local repair company, tell them what the problem is, and see how much they charge to fix those types of problems.

Even if you don't think you'll do much repair and would rather head to a repair shop, you still may want to learn a little about repairing the computer. A midnight crash on Friday can be agony if the computer repair shop doesn't open back up until Monday morning. Overall, learning some basic techniques can help you to be self-sufficient when it comes to your computer.

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

You'll find Bert Cervelli at Avid Computer. You can find top notch computer information and resources at computers. Check out past articles (along with future ones) at: www.avidcomputer.com/news/

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