General Interest

Mass Effect Wish List

2007-09-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

We’ve all read every piece of Mass Effect information we could get our hands on, mourned when release dates were pushed back and tremble at the thought of further delays. One of the most highly anticipated games to ever be produced – Mass Effect could become the greatest game of all time – or it could be one of the biggest disappointments of all time. Let’s hope for the former.

As a huge fan of BioWare’s Star Wars – Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), I’ve anticipated the day I would be playing Mass Effect. However, like many other enthusiasts – my greatest fear is that Mass Effect will somehow let me down, not living up to my expectations. Regardless, I’ve created a “wish list” of things I would like to see in the game. Actually, these are simple things – but qualities I found in BioWare’s KOTOR.

My wish list – at the very least – Mass Effect will need these qualities for me to like it:

1) Rich, meaningful interaction with other characters. One of my favorite qualities of KOTOR was the interaction with other characters. These we’re by no means abstract, casual interactions – they were meaningful, game changing relationships. I might even enjoy a “fling” or two.

2) Must have a good story. Like you, I’ve read the main story line of Mass Effect – but when I talk about having a good story – I’m talking about the subplots. I’m talking about the stories inside other stories. I’m looking for meaningful missions within those stories and most of all – the entire story line must be cohesive – not scattered.

3) Team dynamics. Again, like KOTOR – I’m looking to assemble a team throughout the game – making decisions regarding the development of that team and succeeding or failing based on those decisions. I’m looking for a real experience. I would like to see rich character development as the stories unfold.

4) Game length and difficulty. Although I loved every minute of it – I would like to see Mass Effect a little longer than KOTOR. I would also like to see it slightly more difficult.

5) Lots of surprises. I want Mass Effect to keep me on the edge of my chair the entire game. I want this game to tease me and make me want more.

If Mass Effect can deliver in these areas – along with its highly anticipated graphics and interaction – I don’t see how I could possibly be disappointed.

E Lawrence Welch

Gun Rights Advocate

Why Ron Paul Would be a Better President than Rudy Giuliani

2007-09-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

1. Ron Paul would save the country millions of dollars on makeup expenses – after all, Rudy has two faces to get ready.

2. Rudy Giuliani doesn’t understand the Constitution - Ron Paul does. Rudy can’t fool anyone - he's attacked our Constitutional Right to own firearms by attacking firearms manufacturers – Ron Paul simply wants to protect our 2nd Amendment rights.

3. Ron Paul is for the people – Giuliani is a manipulator of people and 9/11 publicity.

4. Rudy Giuliani is “politics as usual” – Ron Paul is certainly not “politics as usual”.

5. Ron Paul sees opportunity for change – Rudy Giuliani sees opportunity for power.

6. Ron Paul wants to hold criminals accountable – Rudy has them as business partners.

7. Rudy thinks he can push his way around because of his 9/11 “popularity”. Ron Paul wants to work to prevent another 9/11.

8. Ron Paul is a conservative - Rudy is trying to fool people into believing he’s a conservative.

9. Reading this Wikipedia article about Rudy Giuliani is like reading a police file. When have you ever read anything like this about Ron Paul? In fact, after reading this article - I'm quite amazed that Rudy is this far along as a presidential candidate.

E Lawrence Welch

Gun Rights Advocate

Why Ron Paul Would be a Better President than Hillary Clinton

2007-09-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

1. Ron Paul would save the country millions of dollars on makeup expenses – after all, Hillary has two faces to get ready.

2. Hillary Clinton doesn’t understand the Constitution - Ron Paul does. Hillary wants to take away our Constitutional Right to own firearms – Ron Paul simply wants to protect them.

3. Ron Paul is for the people – Hillary is a manipulator of people.

4. Hillary Clinton is politics as usual – Ron Paul is certainly not “business as usual”.

5. Ron Paul sees opportunity for change – Hillary Clinton is an opportunist.

6. Ron Paul wants to hold criminals accountable – Hillary wants them to advise her.

7. Hillary advocates the right to choose to kill innocent babies – Ron Paul doesn’t.

8. Hillary believes the federal government should be “big brother” while Ron Paul wants “big brother” to lose some weight and take his place.

E Lawrence Welch

Gun Rights Advocate

John Chow

2007-08-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

John Chow’s blog contains a great deal of useful information about topics ranging from search engine optimization to earning money on the internet. The design of the blog is quite impressive and offers a number of other (non John Chow) great resources. John is quite “vocal” in his blog and says what he thinks. He even posts his monthly earnings on his blog which were quite impressive at over $12,000. Looking at it this way – I’m attempting to duplicate a couple of John’s ideas here.

One of the most incredible things I noticed about John’s blog was the broad spectrum of “fans” he has. I saw a lot of people posting comments – these folks seemed to be from a range of disciplines across the web. This is a blog that anyone can benefit from – not just the SEO community or the “make money” guys. Another great thing about John’s blog is that he does not use nofollow links on his blog commentators. What this essentially means is that John chooses to reward his “fans” by passing Google PageRank on to their websites and/or blogs. If John did use nofollow links as Google would like for him to use them – his commentators would sort of be punished. Overall, it’s worth a good look.

You can find his blog home page at this address http://www.johnchow.com/

Here you can find a post where John will give you a link from his blog if you review his blog. http://www.johnchow.com/review-my-blog-get-a-free-linkback/

Car Insurance Quotes on Your Mind?

2007-08-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

Car insurance quotes are only one side of the story. Before you commit to any one car insurance company based solely on car insurance quotes – consider the five following thoughts.

1) Car insurance quotes are only quotes. Quotes are not necessarily the real car insurance prices you will pay in the end. Don’t switch your car insurance on a whim – after you’ve seen some handsome car insurance quotes.

2) Don’t let car insurance quotes be the determining factor in choosing a car insurance company. You might save a few dollars if you’re able to hold the car insurance company to that wonderful looking insurance quote – but you might spend the difference in aspirin for the additional headaches caused by the cheaper car insurance company.

3) When seeking accurate car insurance quotes – make certain you give information as accurate as possible. After all, the quote will only be as good as the information you’re able to offer the insurance company. Many times, the car insurance quotes will not be valid – depending on the accuracy of the information you’ve submitted.

4) Watch out for the fine print that comes with those lovely car insurance quotes. Fine print is a fact of life – don’t miss an important detail – only to discover the details after you’ve changed car insurance companies. I know it’s hard to resist the car insurance quotes – but don’t be caught off guard.

5) Last, if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is. This applies to car insurance quotes as well as many other aspects of life. Do your homework – use the car insurance quotes as a tool in conjunction with your other research and be sure to ask the company a lot of questions about those lovely car insurance quotes.

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

Mail Receiving - Forwarding

2007-08-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

Mail receiving – forwarding services are fantastic for people who travel (domestic and international), people who will be away from home for extended periods of time, people who are students, and virtually anyone who will be away from their mail. For example, suppose you and your spouse are retired and would like to travel the United States. Some people like to travel using a recreational vehicle (RV for short). This allows you to travel for months at a time (without returning home). You might like to stay in an RV park for a couple of months – then move to another RV park. One of the biggest concerns people have is regarding their mail. How will they receive it? How will they pay their bills on time? This is where a mail receiving – forwarding company is most useful.

For a fee, most mail receiving – forwarding companies will agree to receive all of your mail – then forward it to any location - according to your instructions. Another beauty of a mail receiving – forwarding company is that they can scan your mail – then email it to your location. You might even like for them to destroy all of your “junk mail” – forwarding only your most important mail. A good mail receiving – forwarding company will perform this service as well.

Different mail receiving – forwarding companies charge fees in different ways. A smart practice is to make sure the mail receiving – forwarding company you hire will charge you a base rate. You don’t want to find out about hidden charges later.

Another great benefit of some mail receiving – forwarding companies such as Texas Home Base is that you could be able to change the state of your legal residency. For example, you might be able to become a client – having a Texas mailing address – then change your state of residency to Texas where there is not state income tax. Obviously you would need to consult with your financial advisor before doing this – however, it is an option.

Lastly, mail receiving – forwarding companies are required to comply with United States Postal Service guidelines so a bit of paperwork is required. However, you can rest easy knowing your mail receiving – forwarding company is working within the guidelines established to protect your best interest. Enjoy your days of travel and don’t fear using a mail receiving – forwarding service.

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

Losing Weight is Easy – Finding Thin is the Hard Part

2007-08-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Losing Weight Is Easy - Finding Thin Is The Hard Part Mug

Do you find yourself losing weight - gaining that weight back - then losing weight again only to regain it again? This is the frustrating weight loss cycle most Americans find themselves locked into. Is your goal to lose weight or “find thin”? Consider these 5 thoughts to help you lose weight AND find thin.

1) Keep your focus on finding thin. Don’t focus on losing weight. It’s not natural for us to lose anything. We’re not wired that way. Think about it – do you want to be less sick or more healthy? You want to be more healthy. Focusing on weight loss is the same thing – you should be focused on finding thin – not on losing weight.

2) When you’ve mastered the art of focusing on finding thin – go back and try diets and exercise programs that failed earlier. Find a weight loss program that works for you. The most important thing is that you don’t focus on the weight loss. Focus on the goal of finding thin.

3) With a renewed focus on finding thin – get a mental picture of how you would like to see yourself in the future. Think in terms of finding thin (the way you want to be) – don’t worry about a specific amount of weight loss.

4) As you gain a mental picture of yourself the way you would like to be in the future – you’ll feel a renewed commitment to your diet and exercise programs. You’ll lose weight and feel better. Again, continue to see yourself the way you want to be – don’t think about losing weight.

5) Dieting and exercise are a necessary part of finding thin. However, any restrictions on what you’re allowed to eat plain sucks! By keeping your focus on finding thin – rather than on losing weight or dieting – you’ll find yourself wanting to follow you diet and wanting to exercise. Give it a try – you might be surprised at how well it works.

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

General Interest Blog

10 Essentials of Starting and Operating an Online Retail Business – Part IV

2007-08-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

1) Brand building as the process of marketing your business/product – attempting to instill a recognizable brand into the market. If you’re successful, people will remember your brand and return to your online retail store. Brand building is an essential component of the online retail business. Why? Search engine results aren’t guaranteed forever – you’ll need a recognizable brand.

2) Give yourself an attitude check. How is your attitude toward your online retail business? How is your attitude toward your customers? Don’t underestimate the importance of a good positive attitude. A negative attitude will show in the results of your business just as a positive attitude will show in your online retail success.

3) Link building is an essential Search Engine Optimization (SEO) process requiring you to contact webmasters of various sites across the internet. Your goal should be to let others - maintaining websites in a similar industry as yours – know about your online retail business. More links into your website usually means better search engine results. Don’t try to get links from websites with no similarity to yours – it might be a waste of time.

4) Link bait – another essential link building strategy – is the process of having content on your website that’s so wonderful, useful and compelling that webmasters of other websites will automatically want to add a link to your website. Search the internet for the term “link bait” and you’ll find a number of helpful ideas.

5) PageRank in its simplest form is a way Google measures the inbound links to your online retail store. Higher PageRank will usually result in higher website rankings. However, don’t let PageRank drive your SEO strategies – but you should know what it is and how to maximize it.

6) Google Adwords are those little advertisements you see (on the right of the screen) when you perform a search query on Google. It’s a good idea to use them as a mix in your online retail strategy. However, make sure you keep the keywords highly specific to the products you offer in your online store, test various keywords with a small budget and don’t use broad keywords.

7) Fast shipping. Everyone who shops in an online retail store wants their purchase delivered the day before it’s purchased. Ship products to customers quickly and they’ll appreciate it. Personally, I’ve had best results with regular 2 to 3 day mail. However, the products I ship are small and easy to package. You should learn what works best for you but make sure you ship quickly.

8) Your product descriptions and other writing in your online retail store should be of high quality and easily readable. No misspelled words, bad grammar, etc. Anything short of high quality writing will result in lost sales.

9) Learn to use Digg.com. Digg is a social website where people submit news, stories, etc. for others to look at and comment on. When you see a news story or write an article relevant to your online store – submit it to Digg. This is a good way of spreading the word about your online retail business.

10) Do you have a good logo? If not, pay the price to have one made professionally. A good logo can make or break the professional appearance of your online retail business. Also, a quality logo goes hand in hand with brand building. You’ll want people to recognize your logo so pay for a good one.

To Be Continued….

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

10 Essentials of Starting and Operating a Successful Online Retail Business - Part III

2007-08-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

1) Accounting – Keeping track of revenue and expenses is a must. You can hire the services of a professional but in the early stages of your online retail business – you might not want to spend the money. There are several easy to use accounting / bookkeeping programs on the market today. It will be worth your money to purchase one and learn accounting basics.

2) Analyze the numbers – When you’re starting your business – you’ve got to decide on an acceptable profit margin. Your profit margin will help you determine prices. Put simply, your profit margin is the difference between your revenue and expenses. This information is important for helping you determine how much money you’re willing to work for, which items are profitable and which are not.

3) Don’t spend it – When starting out – don’t waste precious money on unnecessary items. Don’t order a bunch of t-shirts with your business name on them. Only purchase items that are essential. For example, even today I refuse to purchase shipping labels. Using regular postal services, I’ve determined it’s less expensive to print shipping labels on copy paper, cut them out and tape them on the packages. This may seem silly or cheap but these types of costs add up in the long run.

4) Learn some HTML – Although I recommend hiring a professional to create your store in the beginning – it will be worth your time to begin learning HTML – the basic computer language used to make web pages. Often, you’ll want to make simple changes to the look and feel of your online store. You won’t want to hire a professional for everything as it will be quite expensive over time.

5) Inventory – Don’t be one of these people who buys a ton of merchandise and gets stuck with it. I’ve known people to get excited about an online retail venture – purchase a truckload of merchandise – only to end up storing it in their garage. Keep your inventory to a minimum while you’re starting out. It will be a much better problem to need products due to good sales than have a bunch of junk nobody wants. Also, if you do end up with extra inventory that’s not selling well – sell it on Ebay for deeply discounted prices. It’s better to take a loss on a product – recouping precious cash flow – than sit on a non-selling product.

6) Research – Ebay is a great place for research and testing the water with various products. When you’re exploring the internet for products to sell – take a look at Ebay. You’ll be able to tell which products are selling, how much they’re selling for, etc. Use this information to help you determine your pricing strategies, which products to sell and more. Also, don’t be afraid to offer a product for sale simply because someone else is already selling it. You might be able to offer the public something extra (like great customer service).

7) Returns and Exchanges – All online retail businesses will receive returns and exchanges. If you don’t – you must not be selling much. Ebay is a good place to auction off merchandise that’s been returned or exchanged. However, don’t get caught up spending too much time with this.

8) Business Policies – Somewhere within the pages of your online store – list your business policies. You’ll want to list a privacy policy, shipping policy, returns and exchange policy, payment policy, and any other policy you might like to show.

9) Credibility – When you’re online retail business is new – you’ll need credibility in order to entice customers to purchase your product. Perhaps the easiest way to get credibility is through the Better Business Bureaus online reliability program. Although it will cost some money – it helps customers to be comfortable with your store. Also, make sure your online store is using secure checkout. Without it – you’ll scare off potential customers.

10) Website Analysis – Walk through the purchase process on your website. Check for little things that might keep someone from purchasing from you. Have other people do this as well. You’ll be surprised at the number of little things causing you to say “I wouldn’t like that if I were purchasing from here.”

To be continued…

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

10 Essentials of Starting and Operating a Successful Online Retail Business - Part II

2007-08-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

1) Writing Articles – Without visitors to your store – you’ll make no sales. Writing articles is an essential SEO (Search Engine Optimization) technique. Learn to write quality articles covering a variety of topics relevant to your store. Publish these articles in a blog, publish them at websites such as EzineArticles.com, and submit them to sites like Digg.com. Spreading your articles around in this way will help you generate direct traffic and increase the inbound links to your website. Quality inbound links to your website are possibly the most important factor in SEO. The greater the number of quality inbound links – the better your search results.

2) Pictures – Before online shoppers will purchase your products – they need to feel good about what they’re purchasing. Good quality pictures are a necessity. You need not be a professional photographer but you can practice until your pictures look great. Try different things – be creative – don’t be afraid to experiment.

3) Cash Flow – As with any business, you need an understanding of cash flow to make the numbers work. Simply put, cash flow is the rate of money that comes into your business and goes out of your business. Good cash flow management will help you keep out of financial trouble. One of the best ways I’ve discovered to help with cash flow is by thinking of expenses in terms of revenue. More specifically, I want to know which revenue will pay certain expenses. After a while – you’ll begin to feel the cash flowing into and out of your business.

4) Persistence – Give your online retail business a chance. I would suggest you grow your business a minimum of 2 years before deciding to continue or stop. It takes time to gain good rankings with the major search engines. Giving up before you’ve given your store a good chance for success is one of the most common causes of internet business failure.

5) The “Idea Game” – Stay focused on your online retail business. Often, people don’t succeed with online retail because a “better idea” comes along and they chase after it – leaving their business behind. “Great ideas” are a dime a dozen. They come and go like the mailman. However, the businessperson who stays focused on one or two ideas at a time has a greater chance for long-term success.

6) Steady Supplier vs. Bargains – Quality internet retail is dependent on a steady source of merchandise at steady prices. Chasing after bargain merchandise is like fools gold. However, gaining quality relationships with a few steady suppliers ensures you’ll always have a good source of the products you sell and helps you maintain a reasonable profit margin. In my experience, chasing bargains are more work and less profitable in the long run.

7) Time – Have you learned to manage your time? Time is one of the most precious assets you have – don’t waste it. Learn to work in 15 minute intervals if necessary. You’ll need to find what works for you. However, time can work for you or against you. To be successful – you’ll need time working for you.

8) Reality Check – It’s important to be objective when you’re looking at your business. A good reality check every few months will help you take a step back and look at your business from a distance. Reality is often hard for an entrepreneur to see. However, when it comes down to the bottom line of the financial statement – reality never lies.

9) Perpetual Learning – Internet businesses evolve in a way that requires you to be a learner. New SEO techniques and new ways to promote your business are created every day. Don’t be afraid to try new things and have the attitude of a learner. This will help you keep from being left behind and it will help prevent you from becoming complacent. The competition will be learning – so should you.

10) Treat your business like it’s a business. – Do you treat your business like it’s a business or a hobby? Are you records up to date? Do you procrastinate? Often, your attitude toward your business will help determine its success. If you treat your business like it’s a serious business – you’ll begin to see it as a serious business. However, it you treat it like a hobby – you may see “hobby like” results.

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

Auto Insurance Quotes - 5 Important Thoughts

2007-06-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Auto insurance quotes are only one side of the story. Before you commit to any one auto insurance company based solely on auto insurance quotes – consider the five following thoughts.

1) Auto insurance quotes are only quotes. Quotes are not necessarily the real auto insurance prices you will pay in the end. Don’t switch your auto insurance on a whim – after you’ve seen some handsome auto insurance quotes.

2) When seeking accurate auto insurance quotes – make sure you give information as accurate as possible. After all, the quote will only be as good as the information you’re able to offer the insurance company. Many times, the auto insurance quotes will not be valid – depending on the accuracy of the information you’ve submitted.

3) Watch out for fine print that comes with those lovely auto insurance quotes. Fine print is a fact of life – don’t miss an important detail – only to later discover the details after you’ve changed auto insurance companies. I know it’s hard to resist the auto insurance quotes – but don’t be caught off guard.

4) Don’t let auto insurance quotes be the determining factor in choosing an auto insurance company. You might save a few dollars if you’re able to hold the auto insurance company to that wonderful looking insurance quote – but you might spend the difference in aspirin for the additional headaches caused by the cheaper auto insurance company.

5) Last, if it sounds too good to be true – it probably is. This applies to auto insurance quotes as well as many other aspects of life. Do your homework – use the auto insurance quotes as a tool in conjunction with your other research and be sure to ask the company a lot of questions about those lovely auto insurance quotes.

E Lawrence Welch

General Interest Blog

Notebook Computer on Your Mind?

2007-05-21T16:13:00.001-07:00

Let's face it - when it comes down to computers - a good notebook is what everyone needs. I've had both - a notebook computer and a desktop computer. Actually, having both is preferable if you can afford it.

One of the greatest advantages a notebook computer has to offer is its compact size. You thought I was going to say portability didn't you? Well, in my opinion, the best advantage a notebook computer has to offer is its compact size. Think about it - when your desk looks like my desk - a single notebook computer takes up very little space and easily has the computing ability of any desktop computer.

For me, a notebook computer is the only way to go. If you're looking to increase your productivity - purchase a notebook computer - you won't regret it.

Cell Phone - A Wish List

2007-05-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Cell phone needs are quickly growing as each and every one of us continues to depend on there use. Take a look at these 7 cell phone technology desires – a cell phone wish list. After all, we can dream about our cell phones too. Cell phone companies need to keep in mind. None of these cell phone needs (our wish list) should push the cost of an ordinary cell phone too high.

1) Cell phone text messaging has got to be simpler. What we need are cell phones capable of clearly recognizing WHISPER voice messages – translating them to text messages and sending them as desired.

2) Why are we still holding our cell phone in our car? And I don’t really want to wear an odd looking thing on my face just to talk. Cell phones need a type of speaker phone for the automobile – capable of filtering out all noise except voice.

3) What’s up with these cheesy cell phone cameras? What good is a cell phone if the picture is so bad you can’t really use it well?

4) Cell phone size is getting better but let’s not make it too small – those of us with large fingers can barely press the buttons now.

5) Why are cell phones so hard to set up? Make them easier to set up – a lot of the features on cell phones go unused – simply because of the setup involved.

6) Would it be possible to come up with some type of germ resistant cell phone over-lay? I’ve heard rumors that cell phones carry a LOT of germs.

7) What’s up with dropped cell phone calls? Of course, we’ve all seen the commercials – but let’s get with the program. Cell phone conversations should be just as high quality as any other phone conversation.

Feel free to leave a suggestion of your own.

E Law

Texas Home Base - Mail Receiving - Forwarding

2007-05-12T17:02:00.000-07:00

Be sure to visit Texas Home Base for all your mail receiving - forwarding needs.

Toy Game on Squidoo

2007-05-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this cool Toy Game Squidoo. You'll find a lot of toys and games.

Toy Game

Ed

Baby Gift Squidoo

2007-04-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

Check out this Baby Gift Squidoo:

http://www.squidoo.com/baby-gift/

E.L.W.

10 Essentials of Starting and Operating a Successful Online Retail Business – Part I

2007-03-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

1) Don’t over-analyze your competition. This is in contrast to a lot of advice you’ll read. However, in my experience, looking at your competition too much can be overwhelming. Obviously, you need a general idea of what they’re doing – but remember not to compare your business to theirs and don’t let them intimidate you. A business is a journey – your competitors will usually be on a different stage of the journey. You need not have the best store, the best product or the best price to succeed.

2) Choose a very specific product at first. Choosing a specific product has many benefits. It’s usually easier to gain higher search engine positions, you won’t need to stock as many products and you’ll be able to focus on something you like. For example – my online retail business – Pyle Mountain Holsters sells only handgun holsters (i.e. shoulder holsters, hip holsters, etc.). Also, choose a product you enjoy – something you’ll enjoy working with every day.

3) Does the business have a good name? Look for a domain name that includes your product name – this helps with search engines and name recognition. It doesn’t need to be fancy – but try to find a name easy to remember and easy to type. For example, although my store’s name is Pyle Mountain Holsters – I chose a domain name - holsterss.com – easy to remember and contains the word ‘holster’ – then I added a slogan to help it make more sense – HOLSTER Super Store (i.e. holsterss).

4) SEO or Search Engine Optimization should be the foundation of your marketing strategy. At present - Pyle Mountain Holsters receives 99% of its business from search engines. Don’t let SEO scare you – if you’re willing to read a little and apply what you learn – you’ll do fine. A great place to find helpful SEO information is at SEO Chat. You’ll find numerous free tools and articles.

5) Do you have a professional looking store? Heard about first impressions? The look and feel of your website is your businesses first impression to potential customers – it must be good or they won’t buy your products – it’s that simple.

6) Is your business fun? You need to be doing something you enjoy – otherwise you won’t invest the effort needed to push your business through the down days (there will be down days). Obviously successful business requires work – but if you’re going to put time, effort and money into your store – you need to design it in a way that will be fun to run.

7) Customer service – don’t underestimate its importance. In all honesty, I would rather have a lower profit margin – with satisfied customers than a higher profit margin with unsatisfied customers. The reason is simple – in my experience – providing good customer service keeps me going emotionally – makes me feel good – gives me that feeling of accomplishment and energizes me on a day to day basis. Just the opposite – unhappy customers drain me – cause a distraction and keep my business from being fun. Think of providing good customer service as an investment or business expense – don’t quibble over little things – they’re rarely worth it.

8) Do you offer straight-forward, fair shipping prices and policies? Please don’t play games with shipping costs – you’ll lose many customers. Think about it – how many times have you filled your online shopping cart with some item you spent hours seeking – only to press the checkout button and realize shipping will cost more than the item? At Pyle Mountain Holsters – we offer free shipping. We aren’t suggesting you do the same – but at least be fair about your shipping costs and practices – it will help your business.

9) Research, analyze, persist and repeat. As the internet continues to evolve and take new directions – you’ve got to keep up. There are a number of resources with interesting news on the net – one I use is Digg. Stay informed - keep your eyes open for new developments. Analyze your results – look for ways to improve your store’s performance. Then do it again and again.

10) Expectations – what are yours? Online retail isn’t usually a “get rich quick” business – if it were I wouldn’t have any fun. The money is nice but I really do enjoy the process of molding something into success. Keep your expectations in line with reality. Expect to succeed, expect to make money and expect to sell products, but also expect to work hard, expect to have challenging days and expect to spend time molding your store into success.

To be continued….

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

One of Mr. Welch's blogs

SEO – It’s Not Just for Computer Nerds Anymore

2007-02-22T10:07:00.000-08:00

The fast paced world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has evolved – and will continue to evolve at exponential rates – as programmers and software engineers continue their quest for the ultimate search engine algorithm.

While designing an SEO strategy for my next project – it became apparent that the best SEO strategies of today seem to be in the areas of good old fashioned research, writing and communication skills. With only a tiny amount of programming knowledge required – gone are the days for computer nerds to rule the world of SEO. Cut and paste code is everywhere – take advantage of it – it’s free.

Blogs, blogs and more blogs - what’s up with all these blogs? Do you think it’s a coincidence that Google™ acquired Blogger™? Writing, generating fresh content – search engines love fresh content and users of the net are hungry for it. Obviously, the engines are rewarding sites with fresh content. Additionally, what better method of promoting your website than writing quality articles – including a few links – then submitting those articles to sites like GoArticles™ or EzineArticles™? Not only do you receive free, highly targeted publicity – but you also receive link backs with anchor text of your choosing – something the search engines take very seriously. Is there a better strategy? Obviously, there’s more to it than writing – but you should be getting the picture.

Gone are the days when programming strategies ruled the web – when programming tricks won the rankings – when clever computer nerds could outsmart the search engines. Don’t let the world of SEO scare you anymore. Be willing to do some research – check out SEOChat™, learn a little – it will take you a long way toward successfully marketing your website.

E Lawrence Welch

Pyle Mountain Holsters

2007-02-18T20:57:00.001-08:00

2007-02-18T09:18:00.001-08:00

2007-02-17T11:20:00.001-08:00

Technorati Profile

Pyle Mountain Holsters

2007-02-12T09:59:00.001-08:00

Pyle Mountain Holsters

Marcus Dove - Best Defender in NCAA Hoops?

2007-02-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

Marcus Dove, a 6’9” junior, has the opportunity to showcase his defensive skills tonight against arguably the best NCAA freshman seen in many years - Kevin Durant - as Dove’s Oklahoma State University Cowboys travel to Austin, Texas - taking on the University of Texas Longhorns in a critical Big 12 battle. Dove has been shutting down high-powered offensive threats all year long – including an earlier match-up with Durant where Dove suppressed Durant until fouling out of the game late in the second half. A game Oklahoma State eventually won in three overtimes.

Dove has unique athletic ability as he’s often called upon to guard players ranging from point guard to post – very rare for any single individual to be able to effectively guard each of those positions. Developing great defenders is nothing new to the Oklahoma State University Cowboys. Previous years have seen great defenders such as Tony Allen, now with the Boston Celtics, Melvin Sanders, and many others. Tonight’s match-up will be a great game – if nothing else – just to watch the match-up between Dove and Durant.

E Lawrence Welch