Mysterious 404 Error


                         Sat 27th Jan '01


In this issue:

1. INTRODUCTION
==>Your choice, More on the 404, Online scams.
    
2. PLACES TO VISIT
==>Web sites for you to visit.

3. TOOLS AT NOWSELL.COM
==>Useful tools to make your life easier.

4. FEATURE ARTICLE
==>"7 Questions You Must Answer Before A Customer Will Buy"
   By Bob Leduc.

Scroll to the end for subscription details.



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X   INTRODUCTION    X
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Hello,

We had two days holiday here for Chinese new year - "Gong Xi Fa
Cai" (hope I spelt that right!) - so I've not got around to
putting a new article together this week. I did, however, get as
far as thinking what I would write about! 

It occurred to me that it would be a good idea to ask *you* what
you would like to read about. After all, it's you I write for.

Email me at: mailto:azam-nowsell.com with suggestions for
subjects you'd like me to cover. Topics can be broad or narrow in
nature, or addressing particular problems you experience.


                               BB


Last week I told you of a mysterious 404 error I was getting at
NowSell.com. Although a redirect in the .htaccess file has put an
end to the hundreds of 404's, the cause is still a mystery.

Reader Helmut Karl was also puzzled, and suggested:

"It may well be that somebody has copied a page with your
subscription form and used it on their server - hence the wrong
path info - don't you think?"

Helmut W. Karl
http://www.businesspark.org/

Good thinking Helmut! Yes, that could explain why I'm unable to
locate a problem on the site. At first glance, it seemed unlikely
to be the cause. I use root-relative paths for the links in my
forms, i.e. the route from the main directory. On a copied page
this would be "/cgi-bin/script.pl."

I would expect the copier of the page to simply add my domain to
the front of the link, which would create the correct URL:
http://www.MyDomain.com/cgi-bin/script.pl.

However, perhaps the person concerned doesn't understand
root-relative file paths. A root-relative link always begins with
a slash (/), representing the root or main directory of the site.
You can think of it as the full URL without the domain name and
"http://" bit.

Not recognizing the root-relative links, they perhaps copied the
page, and then added the path to the directory they copied it
from. In this case, the path to the directory is
http://www.MyDomain.com/archives/year/nov/. Adding this to the
link on my form would create the URL that was giving a 404 error:
http://www.MyDomain.com/archives/year/nov/cgi-bin/script.pl

Looks like you might be on the button Helmut!


                               BB


Thursday saw the debut of The iCop Whistle Blower, published by
iCop, the International Council of Online Professionals
http://www.i-Cop.org . jl scott, ph.d. is the very capable lady
behind the wheel.

The iCop Whistle Blower tells you exactly which online companies
are abusing their customers - and HOW they are doing it.
Information you need to know if you want to avoid being a victim.
You would never suspect some of them!

This week learn about a big-name computer store's scam to take
your money, and a misleading affiliate program to avoid (it's one
many ezines and Web sites are currently promoting).

Subscription details at: http://www.i-Cop.org/whistle.htm


                               BB


Tell me what YOU think! Send your feedback, comments, what you
like, what you hate, etc., to me at: mailto:azam-nowsell.com

TTFN

Azam

PS - Get 2001 off to a good start by benefiting from corporate
     status. Professional Online Business Incorporation is just a
     click away. To ensure your business is formed correctly and
     quickly, click here.

    
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Your Privacy:
I greatly value your trust in me. I will never, ever, under any
circumstances give or sell your email address to anyone. Period!
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X  PLACES TO VISIT  X
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http://www.themestream.com/
Find information on your favorite themes. Submit your articles
and get paid whenever they are used.

 

http://msn.zdnet.com/partners/msn/bandwidth/speedtest500.htm
Bandwidth Speed Test tells how fast your Internet connection
really is. Run several times for accuracy.

 

http://www7.scu.edu.au/programme/fullpapers/1921/com1921.htm
The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine
(Google) from Stanford University. Technical paper worth wading
through for ranking info.

 

http://www.ideacafe.com/
Billed as "The Small Business Gathering Place For Business
Community." Loads of useful stuff for any small business owner.

 


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X  FEATURE ARTICLE  X
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--------------------------------------------------------
"7 Questions You Must Answer Before A Customer Will Buy"
--------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2001 By Bob Leduc


Customers buy from you because they expect to get something
more valuable to them than the money they pay for it. You
can assure them of getting that value by answering 7
important questions. Prospective buyers usually don't ask
these questions. They may not even think of them. But they
won't buy from you until all 7 questions are answered in
their mind.


1. EXACTLY WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING?

Prospects won't buy unless they know exactly what you're
offering them. Make your proposition simple and easy to
understand.


2. WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

Prospective customers don't really care about you or your
company. They only care about how they can personally
benefit by using your product or service. Tell them what
they want to know. Describe in detail how their life will
improve when they buy your product or service -- and why
it's worth the price.


3. HOW FAST CAN I GET IT?

The faster you can deliver your product or service the more
sales you'll get. Consider offering an option for overnight
delivery if you sell something that cannot be delivered
immediately after being purchased. One Internet marketer
told me her orders increased almost 30 percent when she
added the option for overnight delivery -- even though she
charged the additional cost to the customer.


4. WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE IT?

People are reluctant to risk the chance of not getting what
they expect after buying your product or service. Offer the
most liberal guarantee you can afford. An unconditional,
money back guarantee will produce the most sales because it
completely eliminates all of the customer's risk. State your
guarantee prominently and in detail. Clearly reveal any
conditions that apply.


5. WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU?

A prospective customer will not buy from you until you
remove all doubt in his or her mind that you can and will
deliver exactly what you promise. Testimonials are a
powerful tool you can use to accomplish this. They provide
proof you've already delivered satisfaction to other
customers.

TIP: Avoid using any claim that sounds exaggerated ...even
if it's true. A bold claim creates doubt in your prospect's
mind and jeopardizes the sale. Reduce any bold claims to a
more believable level.


6. IS MY DECISION TO BUY A GOOD ONE?

Customers usually make an emotional decision to buy. Then
they look for logical reasons to prove their decision was a
wise one. That's the time for you to talk about how long
you've been in business, how experienced you are or how much
research went into developing your product or service. It
provides the logical reasons your customer needs to justify
their emotional decision.


7. HOW DO I GET IT?

Did you ever walk out of a store empty handed instead of
waiting in a long line for somebody to take your money. I
have. Many buyers abandon their orders at online shopping
carts instead of trying to figure out the confusing
instructions.

It's a total waste to lose sales from ready buyers because
the buying process is too complicated or lengthy. Don't let
that happen to you. Make sure your buying process is simple,
easy and fast.

A prospective customer won't buy from you until all 7 of
these questions are answered in his or her mind. Take some
time now to review your web site and other sales tools. Do
they clearly answer all of these questions? If not, revise
them so they do. You'll see an immediate increase in the
number of sales you get.


Bob Leduc retired from a 30 year career of recruiting sales
personnel and developing sales leads. He is now a Sales
Consultant. Bob recently wrote a manual for small business
owners titled "How to Build Your Small Business Fast With
Simple Postcards" and several other publications to help
small businesses grow and prosper.  For more information...
Email: Postcards@BobLeduc.com  Visit: http://BobLeduc.com
Phone: (702) 658-1707 (After 10 AM Pacific time)



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