June/July...new this issue

When Marketing Becomes Trickery, It's Bound To Backfire... Don't let the dishonest advertising you see lull you into thinking you can or should do likewise. There's a strong psychological reason to always be honest when marketing your business.

How Many Books Have You Put Into Action?... Before you read one more book, and more importantly, before you buy one more book, ask yourself this question. I'll tell you my answer.

Economic Downturn Reveals The Truth About "Make Easy Money" Internet Marketing...You know those guys that have been promising you that anyone can make scads of money easy on the internet? Guess what some of them are turning to now? Here's a hint: it's spelled J...O...B.

April/May 2010...new this month

See An Ugly Duckling Website Transformed Into A Wordpress Swan... I'm wildly in love with Wordpress. It's become my software of choice for publishing on the internet. You'll understand why when you see the transformation it works on the first website I ever created.

Domain Extensions Determine Who Sees Your Website...Most people put a good deal of thought into choosing their domain name. But few realize that the domain extension needs to be just as carefully chosen. Here's what a domain extension is and how it can affect your traffic.

No Matter How They Spin It, Cashgifting Is Still A Con..If you have an email address, sooner or later you'll be invited to join in Cashgifting. This con is so seductive because it comes to you from an eager, well-meaning friends. Here's the truth about this scheme, and resources for protecting yourself.

And take a second look at the tutorial Backing Up Mozilla's Thunderbird Email Program Is Fast And Easy With MozBackup ...I've added some additional instructions in response to a reader's question

March 2010...new this month

Don't Fall For Phony Offers To Renew Your Domain Names...Small business owners are often targeted for scams involving renewal of their domain names. Here's how to tell if the company contacting you is honest or a scam artist.

See What Google Sees On Your Blog Or Website
...As a business owner, it's critical that you know what  Google is indexing on your blog or website. Luckily, this is easy to do. Here's the how and why.

Don't Let Bad Customer Service DOOM Your Business!...Bad service shows up everywhere, in businesses large and small. But small business take a much greater risk when they treat their customers with contempt.

February 2010...new this month

Are You A Hunter Or A Gatherer?...Trace your ancestry back to its earliest roots and you'll find you inherited a tendency to be either a hunter or a gatherer. Find out what happens when a gatherer tries to engage in a hunter's business.

Are You Hunting For Business with A Prehistoric Website?...Is your web site so outdated in function and appearance that it's nearly prehistoric? If so, here's a suggestion that will keep you business from looking like a dinosaur to an audience of media-savvy web surfers.

Why The Advice "Do What You Love And The Money Will Follow" Isn't Working For You...If you've been doing what you love but the money isn't flooding in to fill your bank account, you need to know there's an unspoken flip side to that maxim.

January 2010...new this month

"How May I Be Of Service?" Is The Question That Leads To Success...When it comes to the importance of customer service, there's really no difference between online business and brick & mortar business. In both cases, the key to success is asking, thinking and acting on the question, "How may I be of service?"

Is Your Business Your Life Mission?...I believe everyone is born with a mission encoded in their DNA. Whether or not you choose to pursue that mission will determine how much passion and purpose you feel in your life...and possibly what level of success you achieve.

December 2009...new this month

The Internet Wizards Christmas Wish List For You And Your Business...Here is The Internet Wizards Christmas Wish List for you. I'll be CC-ing this to Santa in hopes that he'll bring you every single item. But it will make a pretty good "must have" list for your business any time, any year!

Always Answer The Question, "What's In It For Me?"...What's in this article for you is the reminder of something you already know-nothing in your business is about you. It's all about the other guy, your client or potential client, your buyer or potential buyer, and what THEY want and need.

How To Protect You Business From Bad Internet Marketing Advice... It's sad but true. No matter what type of business you're in, no matter how intelligent you are, no matter how careful you are, you will, at one time or another, pay someone for doing more harm than good. Here's how to spot the trouble and limit the damage.

November 2009...new this month

Do New FTC Rules Put You In The Same Boat As Brook Shields?..In October, 2009, the FTC announced revised guidelines aimed at protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive practices. Weasel-eyed internet marketers, naturally, went off like civil defense sirens, announcing jackbooted FTC officers would come for us all. Here's the truth that underlies all the tantrums.

When Marketing Becomes Trickery, It's Bound To Backfire...It shouldn't take the threat of being sued by the FTC to keep you from using unfair and deceptive practices in your marketing. It should only take this--the knowledge that people make purchases from people they trust.

Finding The Courage To Market What You Create...Creating something, be it a painting, a book, a web site, even a business plan, can be a lot of fun. But then comes the marketing, where too many find the fun stops and fear begins. Here's how to get started if fear has made you stall.

October 2009...new this month

Your Own Book Is More Than A Product. It's A Treasure! ..When you get involved in the idea of writing a book and marketing it on the internet, it's all too easy to get lost in a maze of "guru" advice that urges you to focus on search engine statistics and profit calculations. My "non-guru" advice is to focus on the contributions you can make from your own inner treasure chest.

The Sure-Fire System For Creating Articles, Blogs and Products...The number one rule of attracting blog or web site visitors is "create compelling content." Here's the simple system I use to create everything from award-winning feature articles to short reports.

September 2009...new this month

How To Get Yourself Or Your Business Mentioned By A Reporter ...Making yourself available to be quoted by a reporter can mean big publicity for yourself, your business and your products. Here's an easy way to get started at being a reporter's source.

Stop Buying Software Until You Do This...Next time you get an email enticing you to purchase some "must have!" software, stop and ask yourself these few questions. Because money spent on software you don't need or won't use adds up to be very expensive.

Are You Selling Hot Dogs Or Steak Franks? A lesson in the language of marketing...Sometimes the best lessons in marketing are right in front of you. This time, I take a lesson in product positioning from a fast food chain that's mastered the art.

August 2009...new this month

The Truth About Marcia's Weight Loss Blog...the tactics used by hardcore internet marketers often make me squirm. But if your results on the internet are lagging, you can adapt some IM tactics to boost your business without abandoning your ethics. You'll lean how in this detailed analysis of Marcia's blog.

Learning The Technology Of The Web Is Both Tough And Totally Necessary...Learning to use the software that makes the web run is a brain-buster. But the payoff for applying yourself to the task is huge.

Lessons Learned From A Mayonnaise Bottle And Two Beers...When the internet has you feeling overwhelmed, when it seems that 24 hours in a day is never enough to pull your business together,  stop and think about this lesson.

July 2009...new this month

Break Free From The Habit Of Half-Finishing...If your dream of creating your own products and marketing them on the internet always ends up in half-finished projects, here's some tips for breaking out of that self-defeating habit.

Find Liberty To Earn Unlimited Profits On The Internet...sometime this month, step outside, light up a sparkler and celebrate the fact that the internet offers you true liberty to expand your business and seek unlimited profits!

How Do You Put A Price On A Digital Product?...Pricing your own products can be one of the most difficult steps on the path to creating and marketing your own stuff. Because it's a hard decision, too many people leave it for last. Then they slap on a price, along with a whispered prayer for good luck. If this sounds like you, you're making a mistake that can cost you plenty!

June 2009...new this month

Copywriting Is The Fine Art Of Encouraging The Imagination...Copywriting is an inescapable part of doing business on the internet. And chances are, you have to do much of it yourself, writing copy for web pages, articles and blogs. If you're not a master copywriter, here's a secret that can make you look like one.

Taking A Lesson From A Life Long Past...If the troubled world economy is taking a toll on your spirits, then here's a brilliant lesson in optimism from a little angel I found in a depression-era issue of Life magazine.

Why You Should Write Your Book...Anyway... I believe everyone has at least one story inside them that's worth telling and selling. If you're blocking yourself from doing that by conjuring up all sorts of objections, here's why you need to put them aside and get on with it.

May 2009...new this month

Shatnerquake--Proof Positive That On The Internet, You Can Sell Anything...You've probably heard that the best way to succeed at product creation is to find an existing market and create a product for it. That's good advice--but too many people fail to grasp the scope of how many markets there really are out on the internet. Let "Shatnerquake" broaden your vision.

You Only Need One Thing To Succeed...If you've been lost in a maze of advice and information about internet marketing, you may be surprise to discover that all you really need to succeed is one thing.
 

A Donkey's Tale...If you've ever felt like life is shoveling a load of dirt in your face, you'll find a valuable lesson in this donkey's take.

April 2009...new this month

You Don't Have To Be Perfect To Succeed At Marketing Online...if your need to be perfect before you go public is keeping you from getting started, you need to read this imperfect article.

A Tutorial To Using 7-Zip...a step-by-step picture guide to installing and using the FREE 7-ZIP program top open zipped files you may download, or to compress and decompress files already on your computer. It's fast, free and easy!

You Only Need One Thing To Succeed...no matter what your business, no matter what your goal, no matter what your dream, you only need one thing to succeed.

March 2009...new this month

Two Big Lessons From One Little Internet Marketing Secret You've heard plenty of internet marketing gurus talk about outsourcing. But did you really hear what they were saying? Here's the secret hidden inside every mention made of outsourcing.

This Free Driver Updater Can Save You From PC Headaches  Is updating your drivers a regular part of your computer maintenance? If you don't know what a driver is or why you should be checking for updates, you could already be in toruble.

February 2009...new this month

Here's Proof Your Little Imperfections Can Pay Off Too many people put their dreams on hold, waiting for the day they or their product are perfect. Now, in a groundbreaking new book on persuasion and influence, Vicki Kunkel has scientific evidence that letting your imperfections show can make you and your product far more appealing.

Laugh And The World Laughs with You-Even In Business  Humor is a great communications tool. Created intentionally, it can open doors. Created unintentionally, it can close them. Read this article for two very different examples of hysterical humor that went viral--with entirely different results.

January 2009...new this month

A Lesson In Niche Marketing From A Funeral Home  Is the bad economy killing your business? Then let a funeral home show you how to target niche markets and bring new life to your bottom line.

Does Your USP--Unique Selling Point--Have Meaning In Your Market?  Every business--yes, even yours--needs a USP, A Unique Selling Point, to set it apart from its competition. But take a lesson from this hysterical example--make sure your USP says something meaningful to your target market.

December 2008...new this month

12 Days Of Christmas Gifts For Your Computer Let others fret about the cost of partridges and pear trees. We suggest 12 free gifts for your computer that won't cost you a cent.

Mozy On Over To Online Back-Up  You back up your valuable computer files to protect the future of your business, but did you know storing your backup next to your computer can be as bad as not backing up at all? Discover why online backup service is the best way to be doubly-sure your business won't go bust when your computer goes bye-bye.

The Blockbuster Secret That Creative Professional Know-And YOU Can Swipe! Do you spend too much time sweating over the creation of your own reports, sales copy, landing pages and other accoutrement of internet marketing? Then you'll want to learn the secret the pros use to churn out creative content on demand.

November 2008...new this month

How To Create The Perfect Pop-Up For Your Web Site  Pop-ups can be an elegant and effective tool for communicating with your web site visitors. Read the rules for creating the perfect pop-up.

Call To Action--The Tactic That Can Transform Your Website Revenues  Learning to "close the sale" with a call to action is the best thing you can do for yourself, your web site--and your visitors.

Backing Up Mozilla's Thunderbird Email Program Is Fast And Easy With MozBackup  If you've made the move to Thunderbird, Mozilla's powerful, free email client, you need to know how to back up your files. This tutorial will walk you through the easy steps.

October 2008...new this month

Where Will You Invest Now?...With the stock market in tatters, there's only one place you can invest your money that is guaranteed to bring you rich and long-lasting returns.

Adapt & Thrive!...it's more than a motto. It's the only way you'll live through an economic shakeout that's going to be around for a while.

Is Your Price Right?...getting your price right is critical especially in these troubled times. Lucky for you, there's a system for doing it.

Why A Bad Economy Is Good For Your Business...if listening to the news is causing you to lose your courage, read this article and discover why this may be the worst of times but can still be the best of times!

September 2008...new this month

Acres Of Diamonds In Your Own Life ...how one of the most beloved parables of all time applies to your own life as a product creator and internet marketer. Pick up my free multimedia PDF to share with friends.

How To Grow Rhinoceros Hide: a primer on skin care for the internet marketer

A Positive Example Of The Fine Art of Upsell... if you shy away from marketing because it seems almost sleazy, take a look at this example--the upsell made powerful and positive by asking "How can I be of service?"

August 2008...new this month

Marketing In Uncertain Times ...when the future is uncertain, here's the only sure way to survive and even thrive.

 Is Your Outlook About To Explode?  ...although Microsoft hates to admit it, Outlook has its limits. If you're using the ubiquitous email client, this article is must reading.

July 2008...new this month

Why You Shouldn't Buy In To All The Negative News! ...don't let bad news about the economy send you running to hide under the bed. Now is NOT the time to retreat from starting or growing your business!
 

If You're Over 40, You Should Write A Book...everyone over the age of 40 has a book inside them. Here's why you should--even why you must bring yours out into the world.

June 2008...new this month

Celebrate Your Wealth And Success....do all those emails claiming to come from "instant internet millionaires" make you doubt your own worth? The you MUST read this!

1 Online Classified Ad = 2 Lessons  My first foray into online advertising teaches me two good lessons about social proof and online classified ads.

7 Steps To Staying Positive In A Negative World  Working to create products and market them on the internet is made even more challenging if your confidence and enthusiasm is eroded by negative friends and family. Here's 7 surefire tips for overcoming their criticism and staying in emotional control.
 

May 2008...new this month

We're All Friends... But Does Social Networking Have Its Limits?  Why believing all the hype about Web 2.0 and social networking can actually hurt your business...and your social life! 

Google AdWords Can Deliver Easy, Inexpensive Market Testing What--you thought it was only for advertising? Read this article to discover how AdWords can help you fine-tune your marketing materials for as little as $10!

April 2008...

The Times--And Marketing Tactics--They Are A Changing

Using Google Alerts--a video tutorial guide you through the use of one of the best free tolls on the internet.

Are You Leaking Money? Check Your PayPal Account For Recurring Charges --are dollars dripping out of your bank account through forgotten subscriptions and other unwanted services? Here's how to check your PayPal account for recurring billings and put an end to the dollar drip.

March 2008...

Be Your Own Cheerleader Find out why it's so important for self-employed people to celebrate their victories, big and small. Includes a print-and-paste craft project to make the "You Did It! Guy" as well as the sound files and instructions for making your email box sing "cha-ching!" anytime you receive an email saying "You made a sale!"

Sing A Penny Serenade For Your Own Products! Find out what an old black & white Cary Grant movie can teach you about the fine art of soft-selling your product's features and benefits

February 2008...

Can You Cook Up Profits From A Recipe? Find out why so many people follow the exact recipe for making money...yet still fail.

Take 10 Minutes To Make Google Love You Forget friends and family. The most important relationship in your life is the one with Google. What the predominant search engine thinks about your web site can make or break your online business. Discover a few fast and easy tweaks that will make sure Google loves you.

Harnessing The Positive Power of Habits  Say the word "habit" and most people instantly think of all the bad habits they should break, like smoking or biting their nails. But habits can also be good, and building them can be the difference between being a success and...well, biting your nails!

January 2008...

Why You Need To Record Your Accomplishments  Keeping a record of your business accomplishments can be an important tool for self-promotion as well as self-motivation

Spring Cleaning For Your Computer  Here's easy instructions on the simple steps you can take to make your computer run better, faster, longer by giving it a simple spring cleaning. 

Are Your Marketing Materials Fresh? In this age of digital design and instant communication, it's more important than ever to be sure your business cards, brochures, web sites and other marketing materials are up to date.

December 2007...

Is the Advice You're Taking On-Target ForYou?Before you take advice, even if it's expert advice, it's best to ask yourself whether or not it's right for your unique situation.

Pack In Added Value To Boost Your Profits Actively looking for ways to build in added value to whatever you sell is the best way to boost your profits 

Dental Plans For Self-Employed People Dental Plans can be an excellent alternative for self-employed people who can't afford the cost of dental insurance.

November 2007...

Copyright Confusion If you're writing articles, writing books, creating graphics or otherwise creating your own products, you'd better understand the basic of copyright.

Easy Money? Don't Make Me Laugh! If you've been asking yourself why everyone but you seems to be able to make easy money on the internet, you'll want to read this eye-opening article.      

Will Anyone Want Your Product? If you're thinking about creating your own products, this is a good question to ask yourself. 

October 2007...

Who-who-who Owns Your Domain Name?  If you've been assuming it's you, you may be in for a surprise. Find out how to check on who actually owns your domain and how to make sure it gets registered in your name.

You Can Learn To Love Marketing Even If You Hate Selling  Many people fail to effectively market their business because they don't want to be pushy or manipulative. This story will help you understand that the best marketing plan seeks to help the target market. And that's a good thing!

September 2007...

Interview With Information Infopreneur Will Barden   Learn how Barden developed his business and get his tips on using JV gift giveaways to build a monstrous mailing list.

I Am Not My Client  Remember these words when you're planning and creating promotional material.

Stress? What Stress?  Sometimes it just creeps up on you. But then, maybe Nature didn't plan us to be so dedicated to multi-tasking.

Combating Computer Eyestrain  Red, itchy, watery eyes are the least of it.  If you've got cloudy vision, double vision, headaches and neck aches, you could be suffering from the  most common problem among computer users. Find out how to fix it.

August 2007...

Has Putting Your Head Up On The Internet Made You Feel Like Whack-a-Mole? Whack-A-Mole, the mechanical game where you try to bop make-believe moles popping up out of holes is a fit metaphor for what can happen when you make yourself known on the internet.
The sad fact is, when you bring yourself to people's attention in any way,  a certain percentage of those who notice you will take a whack at you. Here's how to handle it.

How To Keep Moving Ahead When Fear Is Holding You Back  Doing something that stretches your limits--like building a business on the internet--can awaken all sorts of fears. Here's 4 techniques that will keep fear from bringing your business-building to a halt.
 

July 2007...

The Magic Effect of Focusing Your Attention Bonnie Boots describes the seemingly magical powers the human brain is capable of unleashing when we focus our attention

Everydays And Evergreens-Two Tricks That Can Make Article Writing Easier  Bonnie Boots explains two of the tricks professional writers use to turn out timely and interesting articles day after day

Which Cookies Do You Want? This tasty tutorial takes you step by step through the process of using an excellent freeware tool that identifies and removes bad cookies implanted in your computer to spy on you.

BOOK REVIEW:  The Flip Side by Flip Flippen  How to break free of the personal constraints that hold you back

June 2007...

Read Judy Hill's interview with Bonnie Boots, publisher of The Internet Wizards Magazine

Will You Still Have A Business When Disaster Strikes?

BOOK REVIEW: Don't Sweat The Small Stuff About Money by Richard Carlson Ph.D.

The Recipe Is Not The Cake Find out why some of the biggest information publishers on the internet are upset with YOU!

May 2007...

Our interview with Wendy Young, an expert on ergonomics and a certified action coach who teaches that physical pain my be keeping you from success.

Our Interview with Terry Gibbs, who went from selling a few model trains on eBay to running an information publishing empire.

April 2007...

Our Interview with Michelle Brouse, who went from factory labor to successful netrepreneur in just a few short years.

If Monks Can Find A Million Dollar Opportunity On The Internet, So Can You Father Bernard McCoy didn't start out to build a multimillion dollar dot com business. But that's where his hunt for cheaper office supplies for his struggling monastery took him.

Is Your Software An Investment Or An Expense? Every penny you spend on your business can be defined as either an investment or an expense. What's the difference?

Tutorial: Store and Protect Your Password with Cryptainer LE Encryption Software  If you store passwords, credit card or banking information on your computer, you'll benefit from using this "virtual vault" for protection. It's free, and never expires. Our step-by-step instructions will get you started.

March 2007...

Can Sitting At Your Computer Kill You? Find out why internet marketing may put you at higher risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis and what you can do about it.

Let Your Vehicle Drive Traffic To Your Web Site. We've found a number of innovative ways you can use your car to advertise your web site.

Netrepreneuer Profile: Marketing Expert Marcia Yudkin discusses her life on-line and off.

Tutorial: Navigating With the URL Bar In FireFox This illustrated tutorial shows you a fast, easy way to speed up your internet navigation.

Additional Articles:

The links on this page index the articles available on our web site that will help you in your internet business. Articles attributed to The Internet Wizards may be freely distributed in newsletters or used on web sites so long as you contact us for permission and include the author's resource box.

Why Some Websites Fail to Make Money: If you believe the hype on internet marketing, making money on the internet is so easy a monkey could do it. Why, then, do so many potential internet millionaires fail to make enough money to even cover their hosting fees?

If Making Money On The Internet Is So Easy, Why Isn't Everyone Doing It? If this is the question you ask every time you see a sales pitch from an internet marketer, join the club. The Internet Wizards used to wonder about this, too.

Do You Have What It Takes To Make Money On The Internet?  Making big money on the internet is not a myth. Real people can and do make real money out in cyberspace by providing all sorts of information and services from e-books to coaching. But what about you? Do you have what it takes to make big money on the internet?

Niches Are The New Economy On-line and Off  Niche marketing is more than just a buzzword. According to Chris Anderson, Editor-in Chief of Wired magazine, niche marketing is both the internet's greatest strength and its long-term future.

How To Create Your Perfect Information Product  Internet gurus tell us that one of the keys to financial success in an internet business is having your own product. We all know that information products are good profit generators. Here's a formula that will help you find out what information product you should create.

Why Do So Many Internet Successes Come From Busted Backgrounds?  Many of the biggest names in cyberspace, people that have made a real success of their interent business, have a common background. They rose from the bottom up.

AdSense and Amazon Can Co-Habit In Harmony  Go ahead, branch out in your advertising and enhance your revenue. AdSense and Amazon can co-habit in harmony on any web site.

Is Clicking Your Own AdSense Links Always A Disater? What happens if you accidentally click an AdSense link on your own web site?

Is There Any Such Thing As An AdSense Site?  You see it all over, advice and information on how to buy or build  "AdSense site." Some of it's free. Some of it's for sale. All of it is misleading.

Is AdSense Really A Moneymaking Machine? A lot of the hype about Google AdSense is designed to lure you into thinking the program is a moneymaking machine you just plug in and let run. There's some truth in that, and a lot of fallacy.

AdSense Makes Massive Internet Income Possible  As little as three years ago, it was difficult for anyone other than major corporations to make money with a web presence. But with the advent of Google's AdSense program, even a mom and pop websites are earning revenues of several hundred dollars a month just by renting ad space to Google.

Bonnie Boots is the publisher/editor of The Internet Wizards Magazine for people who want to create their own products and market on the internet. Register for your free 1-year subscription at http://www.theinternetwizards.com