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Strangest Classified Ads Ever

Imagine a place where you can find your soul mate, search for lost items, announce found objects, and sell goods that are no longer wanted or needed. To some people, this might seem like an alternate reality. After all, nowhere can you do all these things in one place, but for those who frequent the local or national classified section, you know such a place exists.  Because this realm of exchange is real, unusual listings are bound to crop up.

Got to Have a Picnic Table and Chair Set at all Costs

SWAP – Will Swap my .410 shotgun with box of buck shells for picnic table or chairs

Posted: 1940s

Today, people would be horrified at the thought of trading a gun for a picnic table and chair set, but in the 1940s, this was the norm for business transactions. Obviously, this picnic set was more important than life itself, as a .410 shotgun was a highly valued possession.  These days, getting a picnic table or other outdoor supplies is as easy as going to eBay.

Have You Seen a Strange Red Cow Acting Strangely?

FOUND – Strange red Cow

Posted: 1770s

In a time when most classifieds were short and to the point, this simple, yet humorous classified brings up more questions than answers. What makes the cow strange? Was it acting in a peculiar manner? Why is a random red cow running loose in America in the 1770s?

Of course, we’ll never know if the strange red cow found its home or rightful owner, but it’ll live on as one of the first classifieds that made you laugh. Too bad they didn’t have an online lost and found back then.

Every Surgeon has to Start Somewhere

WANTED – Surgeon for a new health clinic opening in the area. No experience needed. Must have own tools.

Posted: Late 2000

Just the thought of an out-of-work, inexperienced surgeon walking around with his or her own tools is enough to send shivers up your spine. But let’s face it, every surgeon has to start somewhere and gain experience. It just makes you curious to know how the clinic advertises their services to their clients.  Thankfully, sites that allow you to check doctor certifications exist.

Sometimes the weirdest ads are the ones that engage you the most.  They have an air of mystery to them — what’s this person’s story? What possibly possessed him or her to put out an ad like that? We may not know the answers, but thinking about strange ads is a fantastic way to exercise your imagination.

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Social Networking Pages and the Small Business

social media, social networking, social comput...

Image by daniel_iversen via Flickr

Social networking sites are internet behemoths. You would be hard pressed to find a person who is not connected to any one of the popular sites. Many small businesses are also clamoring to sigh up for an account and start networking. Let’s take a look at social networking from a small business point of view.

The amount of people who spend their time posting, tweeting and blogging grows each day. Facebook alone is one of the most visited websites in the world. Users are avid about checking their pages and sharing their lives. If they like something, they will proclaim it proudly with the click of the very recognizable thumb icon of Facebook. They will also link that site to another account like Twitter and in one post, shout out to the world at large.

Small businesses may gain an edge in participating in social networking sites. Depending on what kind of business you have, or who your customer base is, you can reach people like never before. Not only are you able to connect with existing customers or clients in your area, you can expose your brand to a broader market. By optimising your use of such sites you might find that your customer list will blossom.

If you have an upcoming sale or special event, you can alert your followers in an instant. It can be challenging for small business owners to expand their brand in the marketplace. Social networking sites are a good resource to introduce yourself to the networking world.

 

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Creating and Hosting a Website

website

Image via Wikipedia

As the internet continues to grow and expand, users are able to access websites from just about anywhere via tablet computers, mobile phones, and wireless devices. Internet businesses have seen a decline in revenue after the bubble burst. This was especially true since it seemed for every business listed on the web, there were ten just like it, offering similar services. Companies couldn’t succeed at the rate of growth, so many went under. However, this does not mean that the internet is no longer a good place to market or sell items.

Just about every company has a website, and those that don’t may find a decrease in business due in part to that fact. Before making a purchase or soliciting a service, individuals are doing research to make sure to get the best deal. A simple web search is all it takes to find out what is available on the market, and if a business cannot be found online, it is likely that it will be forgotten. Starting a company website is a fairly easy process, and when deciding which service will host the site, it’s good to check out the benefits and perks. Some companies provide technical support when creating the site, while others will alert the webmaster when there are broken links or issues. This will help ensure that the page stays user-friendly at all times.

Having a current and well-maintained website is crucial in succeeding in the business world. Although some may argue that the internet is not the place to be anymore, the millions of users worldwide prove that it is still a place to reach many at one time.

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Template Ease: Design

A graphical depiction of a very simple css doc... 

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Failure is an unfamiliar word. It has never forced itself against your tongue, made you spill out confessions of limitations. It has never turned your (considerable) skills to sudden disasters. Accomplishment has instead been the cornerstone of your life, allowing you to excel at everything you try — except design.

Your talents somehow falter when trying to create web pages. Your abilities somehow fade. Every attempt to forge a piece of online perfection has ended clumsily — with color schemes clashing and Java codes faltering. It’s been a collection of mistakes and missed opportunities; and you think it can never be fixed. 

It can — you simply need to consider templates. 

Individuals struggling to form web sites worthy of their businesses should use templates. These pre-designed pages (which allow information to simply be added in at the appropriate places and enable a click of a button to select the wanted features) are ideal for novices. Through them an online company can be offered a professional — and easy — style. All elements are addressed, such as: frames, add-ons, external linking, site maps, graphics and more. The codes, which are typically formatted in standard HTML or CSS languages, can be chosen quickly; and this offers convenience that shouldn’t be denied. 

The intention of web site design is not merely to express creativity. It’s instead to promote a specific idea or service — and that can’t be achieved when the pages are weak. A template can instead offer security, allowing you to generate the content you desire without suffering from the burden of failure.
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Is Affiliate Marketing a Legitimate Business Model?

There are certainly many success stories about this business model. Many who talk about the income from their affiliate marketing business will say they make more money than they thought possible. Are they blowing smoke? Not necessarily. What they do not tell you is how much work it took them to get there. Someone with the drive to be an affiliate marketer does not think twice about the amount of effort it takes for them to earn money.

The key to building a passive income is smart planning. So many think that they can slap together a website, throw in a few keywords suggested by the affiliate, and see money rolling in overnight. Not true. Potential customers get turned off when they see a junky website and will click away ASAP. The marketer has to engage the viewer to turn them into buyer. Clean design on the website without a lot of blaring graphics, content that is well-written, and solid testimonials about the product will go a long ways towards keeping interest.

Stay away from the temptation to jump on a bandwagon and sell the same thing everyone else is. Certainly there are certain categories that always sell. But some affiliate products are over-saturated. Go and do some web searching to see how the competition stacks up. If too many sellers have the same product, stay away. Find something else that is related and has less competition.

In short, yes. Affiliate marketing is legitimate if you are smart about it.

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Using Website Templates to Save Time and Energy

A large part of building an Internet business is getting the website just right. This can be achieved any number of ways. Use an HTML editor or write straight HTML, hiring a designer, or going with a pre-made template to get around the heavy lifting. There are literally thousands of templates available for free and for a reasonable fee. You can find e-commerce designs, blogs, ones that highlight a bricks and mortar business and more.

Currently WordPress templates are the most popular. Many hosting companies are set up to make installing the files as easy as pressing a button. Once installed, it’s a matter of entering the information and moving things around to suit your purposes. Designers also create CSS and regular HTML templates for those who don’t want to go through WordPress. It comes down to a matter of skill and patience. Not everyone has the ability to sit and tweak a site, nor do they want to.

Many designers have their templates on websites that can be purchased and downloaded easily. Pay attention to who you are buying from. Not all will support their product. This may not be an issue for some, but it will become one for those who are not as tech savvy. Save yourself hassle from the get go and make sure the designer will help you out with problems down the road. Being able to put up a site with the least amount of effort goes a long way towards the bottom line.

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What Kind of Internet Business do You Want to Develop?

The Internet provides plenty of opportunities for those who are constantly coming up with business ideas. Getting out your message couldn’t be any easier than putting it up on a website for people to come read. So, what type of business is it that you want to work on? Affiliate marketing? Extending your bricks and mortar store online? Direct selling of a product?

Keep in mind that the rules that apply to a “regular” business are going to apply to an Internet based one. There needs to be a plan of action, estimated costs, and if any staff is going to be needed. What does come into play is knowledge of Internet marketing basics. Creating a clean and well-laid out website, using traditional search engine optimization techniques, and having shopping carts for easy point of sale. Make sure to have a solid plan of action before going live. Good planning results in quicker uptake of the business.

Take a good look at the business idea. Think about the future in that can the core be expanded upon? Are there other related items that can be introduced down the road? If there are ideas, keep them aside for now. Don’t overwhelm the customer right away. Do a slow release once the initial business is formed and online.

Don’t forget the advertising, and not necessarily online. Put the URL to the website on business cards, flyers and any other form of physical advertisements. This also lets people know you’re open online.

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Characteristics of Successful Internet Businesses

Since the advent of the Internet, entrepreneurs have been taking advantage of the enormous platform the Internet creates. From Amazon to Facebook, the Internet has some amazing business success stories. Business executives, analysts and scholars have long tried to crack the code to determine how these entrepreneurs became so successful. While their stories are all different, many Internet entrepreneurs share similar characteristics that have helped get them to the top of their game. Here’s a look at a few of these characteristics.

Frugality

With Amazon and Apple famously having humble beginnings, it’s no secret that Internet businesses don’t need large amounts of capital to create something revolutionary. Mint.com founder Aaron Patzer, has long touted the importance of being frugal. The very site he created helps users find deals to save their money and improve their financial lives. Patzer’s site started with small beginnings, and has grown slowly ever since; they run on the principal of asking for investors only whne needed.

Simplicity

Websites don’t always have to have all the bells and whistles to be money-making machines. Take YouTube as the prime example. The site simply allows users to upload videos. Nevertheless, it’s a useful, entertaining tool that has taken the world by storm; users share YouTube videos over blogs, Facebook and emails. Google purchased YouTube in 2007 for $1 billion.

Flexibility

Facebook is a premier example of a company that has grown and changed over the years to meet the needs and demands of its users. Facebook has updated its interface several times over the years to pioneer new . Some changes have been successful, but others have not. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Facebook understands it cannot rest comfortably on its exiting product; they must evolve with their users.

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Earning a Master’s in E-Commerce

E-commerce is a relatively new field, yet it is growing more and more each year, and nearly every business has some need for an expert in e-commerce. E-commerce involves using the internet to promote a business and sell products. Earning a master’s degree in e-commerce is immensely useful; it will provide you with the training and skills needed to create a profitable presence on the web. Coursework typically includes financial accounting, database management systems, marketing management, web design and digital marketing. Each year, an increasing number of schools are offering coursework, bachelor’s and master’s programs in e-commerce.

For those interested in earning a degree in e-commerce, one possible degree option is a master of science in e-commerce technology. This program is designed for students who want to focus on e-business systems and management, and allows students to become familiar with a wide range of technologies and programs. Students in this program will become familiar with project management, networking, computer programming and web engineering. Students can also opt to specialize in more specific fields, such as project management, enterprise systems integration and IT architecture design.

Upon completion of a master’s degree in e-commerce, you will be prepared for a wide variety of careers, including computer programmer, e-commerce specialist, ad copy writer and webmaster. The field continues to grow, and is expanding faster than other business fields. Employees with master’s degrees in e-commerce can expect to earn higher salaries than those without and may be more likely to earn promotions.

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