Simple, Honest Business Email

Simple, Honest Business Email: (Subscription Required and you should think about it.)"For example, there is, by definition, no such thing as a personal HTML email message. Think about that. Executives don't merrily hammer out HTML messages on a typical Tuesday morning. Go with text. Write it as much like a letter as possible, beginning with a standard salutation, preferably personalized. Attempts at minimal HTML that look like letters with real signatures are certainly a step in the right direction."

Finally a great answer for all my clients that want to send out a ton of HTML email. A simple personal note with a great subject line will get you attention that nothing else will.

Key Factors To Achieve High Google Ranking - Robin Good's Latest News

I get asked a lot about search engine optimization. I know the basics. Maybe not even that some days. From many sources in the last few days has come a mention of the 118 factors that Google uses in its ranking algorithm. This list of ten brings it within reach but I would have to point at three as being key/basic and a place to start. Keywords (placement in headings, titles, and density on pages) Which brings me to content. Updated, good and linked to from other places. And finally we have links. Popular, with the right words...

Blinksale | The easiest way to send invoices online

Another simple tool for small businesses... I don't see any easy way to interface with accounting software nor do I see a lot assurance that it is secure which with the Paypal connection could be important. but for those of us who send out 3 to 5 invoices a month it could be be pretty important.

Blog usability report

This is the kind of material that I try and soak up and think about as I work with a variety of customers. As popular as blogs are there are still significant hurdles in terms of producing something that people will use on a regular basis. I've been blogging for several months. Not in a very high profile way but somewhat regularly. I have one subscriber in bloglines... Nice but he should introduce himself.

If you are interested get through to page 7. The main thought that I am left with is that for newbies to the blobbing world it is important to explain the functions of the main traditional parts of blogs.

Newstoday - For a better tomorrow.

Long but well worth watching for some great commercials and the creative backbone to the piece. Putting together new material and the very end? Only the best ideas win...

the cluetrain manifesto

It's been awhile since I read the cluetrain manifesto. I have used it in the past in bitter arguments. (which I lost.) And I have kept in the back of my mind while I designed my website and when I built my marketing for my business. Still I find that many people and companies that I deal with are reluctant to become interactive. "That's a sales job." "We hire somebody to do that." "We'll form an alliance." All to avoid engaging in the conversation with potential markets.

What can we do with our business that will allow the conversations to begin? Rereading the Cluetrain Manifesto has another take on the whole process as does Sheena over at Small Business Blog. This is the kind of dialogue that more of us need to have.

"Glimmers of the virtual economy: Nexon's $250 million Kart Rider" from The Intuitive Life Business Blog

"Glimmers of the virtual economy: Nexon's $250 million Kart Rider" from The Intuitive Life Business Blog

Wow! Micropayments that really add up. I've had a similiar experience with my hosting experiment. It's been work to manage the webspace but it has also been rewarding. What is really nice are the little extra trickles of money from the space.