Internet experts say that the Year 2000 was

the year that business people "finally got it"

concerning the Internet.

Have you "finally got it," this year or years

ago, Internet-wise?

What does that term mean?

Please let me explain.

The Internet's been available for consumer and

business use for about five years. Each Internet

year is like a dog year--seven years of rapid,

head-spinning change and innovation compressed

into one.

If you were like lots of people, you thought this

might be a fad like CB radios. Well, it's lasted,

and over 200 million people worldwide are regular

Internet users. Some fad !!!

You probably have a business website. If it's more

than two years old, it's most likely outdated in

its content and appearance, reflecting poorly upon

your business--just as if you drove a dented 1975

Buick to meet and impress your clients.

If you don't have a website, you need one now.

Consumers and business-to-business buyers

regularly use the Internet for information about

products and services and actually buy millions

of dollars of stuff on-line.

This is particularly true of anyone who's well

educated, enjoys a good income, and is upscale.

If you're not on the Internet, these premium

customers will buy from one of your competitors

on the Internet.

You have no problem, though, without a website--

if your market is poor people (those earning less

than $20,000) and/or technophobic cranks. These

two groups do not use the Internet and probably

never will.

If you "finally got it," the ten characteristics

below describe you and your Internet status well:

1. You have a great business website--fully

up-to-date, modern in appearance, and

using the latest Web graphics technology.

You know that a visitor looks at your

websites only FOUR seconds before he/she

decides to leave or stay. When they go

to your site, they stay. Talk about first

impressions and snap judgments !!!

2. Your website was professionally created

and looks first class and unique. It

was not created by a do-it-yourself

template, having a drab Microsoft look,

or by an amateur relative who writes or

draws well. Rather, your website is easy

to read, interesting, colorful and has

motion and excitement.

3. You realize that your business either

is a fully Web-based business or that

the Internet is an extremely important

sales distribution channel to the rest of

your business.

4. You have started to enjoy an increasing

sales per employee because of your business

website, even if you're the only employee.

The national average is more than

a 60% increase in sales per employee, and

you are well on the way there. You brag

about this to friends.

5. You've learned that a business website is

a great cost-cutter, particularly for

printing, postage, overnight delivery

services, long distance phone calls, etc.

You now brag to other business friends that

you're getting your share of the $89

billion eliminated operating expenses

experienced by American businesses,

thanks to your business website.

6. Your business website tells visitors

everything they could think or ask about

your business. You explain your business

fully, without the limits of time and space

imposed by the Yellow Pages and other

advertising media. Although rich in

information plan, your website's

navigation plan allows people to find

things quickly and easily.

7. Your website has a key work strategy and

well selected key words. You've registered

with the necessary search engines. You keep

adjusting you keywords based upon your

WebTrends (or similar product) statistical

website tracking report. You routinely

delete and add new pages, based upon your

WebTrends report findings.

8. You've been gathering e-mails from a variety

of sources and now regularly write and send

e-mails to prospects, referring them back to

your website for more inforation and to you

via e-mail or an on-line inquiry form. You

can tell your friends how much money you have

made from doing this.

9. You've invested a big $70 and have your own

domain name--such as www.jonescompany. You

do not appear as a page in an Internet

directory, such as .geeknet.net/jonescompany.

Using directories makes you appear like

somebody with a serious hobby rather than a

real business. And you never say "I'm on the

Internet" since some realty firm or MLM

company--or phone company or newspaper--

added a listing or page about you to THEIR

site.

10. If you sell products, you are using e-commerce

on your website. You can sell information,

too. You boast to your friends about

this accomplishment as well.

Did you finally get it, Internet-wise, on all ten

characteristic above? If not, contact me immediately.

Nine out of ten or four out of ten is not enough

in the competitive, dog-eat-dog online business

jungle.

WebsiteXpress, indisputably the best firm in the

Internet and website busines, will help you with

any or all of the 10 needs outlined above.

While we are very busy with client projects for

the remainder of the year, we do have some time

available, and we are accepting some new clients

as well as new projects for existing clients.

Year 2000 is almost over. Looking back at it, if

you contact me now, you can say that you went

roaring into 2001 with the best possible Internet

strategy and website, ready to crush and destroy

competitors who--yes--just "didn't get it."