One of the biggest challenges for these startup websites is that they don’t know which merchant services are the best ones to choose for their early stage company. So many internet entrepreneurs have the attitude that they will just figure it out because they are smart enough, and they research all of the merchant accounts out there, set up a gateway, get the best deal they can find, and away they go on some monthly merchant account fee (plus set up of course), and they have yet to get one sell.

These entrepreneurs SHOULD have sought out some consulting BEFORE making this decision. I have saved many clients hundreds and thousands of dollars by using Google Checkout and Paypal as very good alternatives for shopping carts. These do not cost you anything until you get sales. Integration of the code onto your website is as simple as a little bit of HTML code. I have used Google Checkout and Paypal on many of my sites. It is a great solution for websites that have not yet proved their business concept online. Low Cost, and a great way to test your business before you sign up for a Merchant Account for an Internet Business Website.

The best advice I can give first time Internet Businesses is to get advice from those who actually have successful Internet businesses, not those offering merchant or similar services!

To qualify for the event you need to submit an application, you need to meet certain requirements like your company is less that 5 years old, and you have revenues in 2007. This is a great event to be apart of. I will be there again this year!

This course will be taught in Orem, Utah. This 11 week course will make your high tech entrepreneurial dream a reality (we are limiting this class to high tech ventures only). You will combine your personal vision with your business concept and develop a business plan that will not fail to get you funding.

This course covers: how to define your personal vision, how to create your business concept, how to define your target market after conducting marketing research, how to enter and capture the market, how to build and compensate your team, how to setup an accounting and financial plan, how to protect your intellectual property, how to get funding and work with investors, and how to manage your cash and operate your business profitably.

Program Components

* 11 Fast Trac sessions (a weekly 2.5 hour class) where key concepts will be discussed and applied to your business with your facilitator, business coach, peers, and expert guest speakers. At each class hands-on coaching will get you started on the action steps needed to develop your concept, plan your business and test for feasibility.
* An entrepreneur manual that includes 10 modules that will guide you through the concept analysis and business planning process. In these modules, you will complete reality checks that will turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
* A Fast Trac Tool kit that includes Business Planning templates, Excel based financial templates, action steps, videos, and informational resources for each of the modules. This Tool kit will help streamline your financial projections, point you to research websites, and help you to create a detailed, dynamite business plan that will get even the most conservative banker excited.
* A nominally priced membership to the James J Hill Reference Library (one of the largest business reference libraries in the world) along with a HillSearch CD that will demonstrate how to access market facts, industry trends, computer data, pricing information, and customer data. Hill Search is the entrepreneurs’ source for any and all electronic information.
* This course will require 4 to 5 hours of homework per week to stay “on track”.

Cost: The cost for all this business knowledge is a low, low $349.00 (includes the above listed program components). And at the end of the class you can receive $150.00 back if you complete a business plan and participate in class discussions. This makes your final cost less than $200.00!! WOW, another bargain given by the SBDC at UVSC.

This course is being facilitated by Michael Eager who has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, consultant, and manager for many Internet start-up ventures including Provo Labs, Utah Labs, USFamilyTree and others. This Kauffman FastTrac TechVenture Training is going to be a lot of fun!

The black ink project
“the Black Ink Project is an affiliate success course designed to help new affiliates bridge the gap between my e-book and making a profit. Some find that the book and forum support is all they need to succeed, but others need a little more hands-on training to connect all the dots.

* Setting realistic goals, based on your time and budget. You’ll discover how much time and money you need to invest to achieve your goals.
* Researching prospective opportunities. You’ll learn out how to avoid potential pitfalls and find the right niche and the best advertisers.
* Learning the software, scripts, and tools to help you create your site. You’ll not only leave the course with a complete tool belt, you’ll learn how to use your tools alone and together to create beautiful high-converting sites.
* Develop and launch a campaign from start to finish. At the end of the course, you’ll have a complete action plan and checklist you can use for future sites.”

I do not promote very many programs, gigs, offers, and other crap people forward to me or that I come across unless it is really good. My time is just too valuable. That is why I am recommending this one. I have already got a lot of value out of the forum and the members I have met in this free affiliate marketing training!

www.repairedfast.com
Cause-Related Marketing
Kaufman Enterprise Solutions
Open Source Technology Center
Boost Engine
Hug A Monkey

If you know of some interesting sites, please submit your website by leaving a comment.

So, I developed a marketing plan with specific recommendations for each area of Internet Marketing. The outcome was fantastic. I have now created dozens of Internet Marketing Road Maps for clients based on the the stage of their Internet Business. The roadmap is very straightforward and usually only a couple pages long. Basically it tells the internet entrepreneur / small business owner how to spend their time each week if they only have 2 hours for internet marketing activities. If they have 5 hours or 10 hours on some weeks the roadmap will breakdown how they should spend their time in each area. Basically it is a way to bring the most important activities to the top, and the entrepreneur can spend as much time as they have available to work on marketing their business online.

I have found that most internet small businesses have a hard time understanding how to get the most out of their online marketing efforts. Having a good Internet Marketing Road Map is one great way to do that.

Flirty Aprons
Marketing for Physicians
Nicklegrump
David Young
Kevin Phelps
Professional Communication Speaker

If you know of some interesting sites, please submit your website by leaving a comment.

TMJ can affect the following:

limited motion of the mouth
chewing
speaking
facial expressions
mouth movements
tooth abnormalities
bone/jaw problems
unusual tooth wear
excessive pain in the jaw or mouth

Solutions to the obvious problems above include medical procedures to correct the problems associated with TMJ. Other solutions can include repair work to teeth through dental operations. I do not personally know anyone with TMJ in Utah, I am sure there are some good qualified individuals that can do medical or dental procedures should you need them.

When I meet with someone that wants to start or develop a business inevitably they have some business ideas, about what they want to do, or how they strongly feel that a certain business idea would takeoff, etc. Many of these clients are very excited about their idea, and they have a vision of seeing themselves with a successful business and all of the glamor that comes along with that. They know that if they just get a little funding, this business will take off and the right people will love their products or services.

Every client I work with will find themselves somewhere on what I call the Market Knowledge Scale. On one side of this scale, there is a weak knowledge of the market. On the other end of the scale there exists a strong knowledge of the market. There is of course a lot of room in between. Almost every client I have ever worked with believes their idea is different, they are unique from other ideas out there. Some clients (yes, more than one), believe their business is the next Microsoft, or the next Google. “If only people have exposure to my business idea (product or service), the money will come rolling in”, they say. “Sure, maybe my business is not for everyone, I recognize that. But, I am certain that there are a lot of people out there that will love my product (or service).”

Baloney! If you think you have a good business idea, have you tested it against the Market Knowledge Scale? (I wrote this post originally in early 2007, and it is just getting posted now… )

The scenario is quite common with many startups I have and continue to work with. Just Build the Prototype I told them, and quit wasting time. I had been reading The Art of the Start again, and it amazes me how many people never get to the prototype stage of their startup. The sooner you build the prototype the sooner you can get customers, great team members and investors. Plus, you can really look at your prototype and see if it has any real value or if it even really works.

I also like the book Getting Real by the guys at 37 signals. They also emphasize that you cannot make all the decisions about your product pre-development, and some decisions you make when you reach them. I have seen this happen a lot recently as I have helped clients work on their websites. You don’t always know what problems you will face until you get there. So next time someone insists on waiting until their product reaches perfection before launching it, tell them to Just Build the Prototype!