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Checking Your Message - Effective Web Copy

Dale Carnegie said, "Talk in terms of the other man's
interests."

Writing effective web copy begins with a clear understanding
of the goals and objectives of your internet strategy. Are you
trying to persuade the visitor to buy something? Are you
trying to get them to sign up for your newsletter? Perhaps you
want them to join your organization or simply learn more about
your service so that they will call your 800 number. The
common theme with all of these web strategies is that you are
trying to get someone you have never met and can't see to take
a step toward building a relationship with you or your
organization.

Typical website copy uses a great deal of prime real estate
telling the web audience how wonderful the organization is.
Imagine going to a party and meeting someone who talks
endlessly about himself. He talks about his job, his family,
his interests. How long will you stand there and listen before
politely excusing yourself? Now imagine the party guest who
seems more interested in you- your family, your job, your
interests. Wouldn't you react more favorably? It's very
similar on the Internet.

It is very tempting to write web copy that is focused on your
company. Your first thought is probably something like, "I
have to tell them who I am. They don't know anything about
me." In reality, they don't care! (At least not in the first
few seconds). Most web users are on a mission to find as much
information as quickly as possible about the product or
service they need because they want to make a decision. If
they find your page, they first thing they want to know - even
before bothering with anything else - is how they will benefit
from buying (subscribing, calling, joining). You need to
answer that question clearly and concisely within seconds or
you will lose that visitor (maybe forever). If you can't cut
through the selfish copy, the clutter, the fancy graphics, and
communicate the value you offer that nobody else offers, they
will go somewhere else- and likely never come back.

Here are 3 additional ideas to help with effective web copy:
1. Create an effective Unique Selling Proposition (USP): A USP
is the statement (2-3 sentences at most) that explains why you
are different than everyone else. This is the unique factor
that sets you apart from your competition. Make this the first
thing your visitor sees.
2. Write about what you offer. Focus on benefits (not
features) and de-emphasize your organization. The website
visitor needs to understand the value in a relationship with
you.
3. Use your copy to help steer your visitor down an intended
path. This can be accomplished by placing your "Point of
action" near benefits-related text, making it easier for your
visitors to take action at that moment.

Tom Neuman is a Senior Partner with Medium Blue Internet
Marketing (http://www.mediumblue.com). For monthly tips on
how to get the most out of your internet presence, sign up for
the Medium Blue Internet Marketing newsletter at
http://www.mediumblue.com/newsletters.

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Action Alerts American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Tell Your Senators: Oppose Telecom Immunity, Uphold the Constitution Please, call your senators right now. Tell them to only pass a FISA modernization bill that has individualized warrants for people in the United States and NOT to provide telecom companies with immunity for breaking the law. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): Federal: Protect Public Health! Help Limit the Use of Antibiotics in Food Animals

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Custom Software Development Checklist

Custom database software development is facilitated by the use of a checklist of standard questions to be answered before a system is created, and before analysis begins. This checklist is provided to assist in the Analysis/Requirements phase of a new custom software development project.



If you are interested in having 21st Century Technologies, Inc. create a new system for you, then the following checklist and the associated answers will facilitate the analysis process. The answers can be e-mailed or faxed to us at the email address and fax number at the bottom of the page.



BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS

1. Desired delivery date or proposed project schedule.

2. Business reason for, and urgency of project.

3. What are the cost constraints?

4. Use cases - description of how each group of users will be using the system.

a. General business process - web user will buy a product, web user will add a customer, web user will add contact information, etc.

b. Input/Output - web users will enter data into forms, data will be imported, administrator must run many management reports, administrator needs to export to Excel and text, etc.

c. Frequency of activity - many times each day, once daily, weekly, etc.

d. Cycles of activity - weekly sales reports to all sales managers on Monday morning, close books at end of year, etc.



NATURE OF APPLICATION

1. Do you have a desired development tool or technology in mind? You may want to split the application into some parts that can be run on a Windows workstation computer, while other parts (like reports, or timecard entry screens) are accessed via a web browser on your local intranet. Web applications and reports can be viewed on all computer types and operating systems that are capable of viewing web pages. Some tools currently available to build the system are listed here:

a. C#/VB.NET

b. ASP.NET

c. Active Server Pages or Cold Fusion for robust database driven Web applications

d. PHP

e. ColdFusion

f. Visual Basic

g. SQL Server

h. MS Access

i. JavaScript - for cross browser compatibility,

j. VBScript - for server scripting, and client scripting if Internet Explorer is the only client browser

k. Dreamweaver - for higher ended client functionality

l. SQL Server Reporting Services

m. Crystal Reports - for Windows and Web based reports

n. ActiveReports

o. Excel

p. PowerPoint

q. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems - dial 1 for English, 2 for Spanish...

2. If other applications are involved (MS Word, MS Excel, QuickBooks, etc.), what version will be used?

3. Desired screen resolution (800x600, 1024x768, etc.)?

4. Target screen size (15", 17", 19", 21")?

5. Preferred Font and size (Arial 10, Times New Roman 12, etc.)?

6. Target Windows version for each client computer in the system (98, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, etc.)

7. Web Server - MS Internet Information Services (IIS), Apache, etc.

8. Target computer Operating System if not a Windows Platform - Apple, Unix, Linux, etc.

9. Target workstation hardware for all client stations

a. Clock speed -1333, 1500, 2000, 3000, etc. MHz

b. Hard drive space - 100, 200, 400, etc. Gbytes

c. RAM - 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb, 1Gb, etc.

10. If a network application, which network and version? -Windows, Novell 3.1, Novell, etc.

11. What are the drive letters for the networked back end databases if a network application? F, G, H, etc.? This reduces the deployment effort by developing in the same environment as the target workstations.

12. If available and pertinent, please provide a network configuration diagram with paths to server (where database will reside) and all clients, security/user groups, etc.

13. Is 24x7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) uptime required? If so, please explain the business need. We will discuss this further. The cost goes up as more uptime is required. More resources are needed - various personnel on pagers, redundant computers or components like power supplies RAID or mirrored hard drives, etc.

14. Is Internet/Intranet data access desired?

a. For data entry?

b. For report reviewing only?

c. To disseminate existing documents?

d. To email notification of pre-determined business trigger events (project milestone met and approved, employee appraisal ready for approval, etc.)?

15. Is Security desired?

a. Extremely high network (Internet) security - firewall, proxy server, etc.

b. Database level security - MS Access has security, but SQL Server has a much tighter security model tied in with the Win 2000/NT operating system.

c. Application level security

d. Minimum (pseudo) security algorithm - low cost

e. Please specify User Groups that may have special Security needs requiring different levels of security:

i. Administrative Assistants

ii. Analysts

iii. Engineers

iv. Managers

v. Company Owners

vi. System Administrators

16. Are Backup Scenarios currently in place? Backups will be an integral component of the system. The importance of this cannot be over emphasized.

a. Daily, Weekly, Monthly onto tape

b. Daily, Weekly, Monthly onto CD or other optical drive

c. Onto another computer

d. Regular backups located at a remote site

17. Are Anti-Virus protection and policies in place? It is an important part of ensuring that a system stays up and running.

18. Will remote troubleshooting be desired? The addition of Error Processing and Logging software will facilitate remote support and troubleshooting.

19. Desired Documentation?

a. None

b. Installation

c. User

d. Administrator

e. Software

f. On-line help

g. Special

h. All of the above

20. What is the proficiency level of all users for the target tools and environments - Windows, Excel, etc.?

21. Will interfaces to other systems (accounting, payroll, another database, GIS, truck routing, etc.) be required? This will affect the data model and system configuration, so early planning for these interfaces is critical to their successful inclusion into the system.

22. Is an audit trail function desired for changes to existing data? What parts of the system will need to be audited?

23. Is government reporting or data security required - Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, etc.

24. Number of reports. A sample hardcopy or at least hand drawing of each will significantly help in determination of report prices and commonalties (company headers, formats, etc.). Important items are:

a. Number of sections including sort groups,

b. Definition of the source data for all fields in each section and their calculation method,

c. Summaries,

d. Desired output format:

i. Windows screen preview

ii. HTML

iii. E-Mail

iv. PDF

v. Delimited Text

vi. Excel spreadsheet

vii. Other outputs

25. Is an ad hoc user-defined reporting, data retrieval, or analysis (On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP), Data Mining, etc.) capability desired?

26. Is an installation program needed for distribution of an application to many users?

27. Is an automated network or internet installation desired?

28. Are custom point to point communications needed? This may also include automated faxing.

29. Special Considerations:

a. Unique business rules, calculations, desired warnings, etc.

b. Significant text parsing

c. Known or possible issues and problems that may be alleviated with testing

d. Voice driven capability

e. Multiple databases (Access and SQL Server, Oracle, etc.)



DATA AND VOLUME

1. How many users are expected on the system in the near (first 6 months) and long (1 - 3 years and past) term?

2. How many users are expected to use the system at the same time during peak periods in the near and long term?

3. What type of data traffic will be on the network for the near and long term - numbers, text, images, video, multi-media, etc.?

4. What is the expected volume of traffic for the near and long term?

5. What is the estimated number of data records to be stored for the near and long term?

6. Do we need to import data from existing files or systems? Note that Characters like ' " # have special significance in data processing and conversion, and require special code handling. Names (D'Joy) and other data fields may contain these characters.

a. No. Example data will usually be provided in database, text, or spreadsheet format. This helps significantly in system testing and allows for error discovery and error trapping before the system is delivered.

b. Yes.

i. Is all or part of the existing data needed? What parts?

ii. Can use of the existing data be stopped while we convert the data into the new system?

iii. Is this a one time data conversion, or will we have to import data from existing systems regularly?

iv. Are some fields mostly blank?

v. Are some desired fields missing?

About the Author

Michael A. Cordova is president of 21st Century Technologies, Inc., a software development/web development, search engine optimization (SEO)/B2B Internet marketing consulting firm.

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FasTrack Success Checkup: Ten Fundamental Questions Every Successful Business Must Answer

Most of us in business today are on a fast track, running hard everyday to keep up with the highly competitive marketplace. Our tendency is to spend most of our time meeting day-to-day challenges rather than focusing on the "Big Picture". The irony is that our ultimate success is determined by how often we pause, reflect, adjust and solidify our strategic positioning for competing on this "fast track".

"FasTrack Success Checkup" is designed to help you focus on the key factors that significantly impact your success. Use this checkup to evaluate where your business is now; where you want to go; and identify the strategies necessary to speed up your "journey of success".

The "Ten Fundamental Questions Every Successful Business Must Answer" is a result of 40 years experience in consulting, coaching and working with businesses of every size, type and industry. Whether you are a one-person operation or a large corporation, your objective answers to these questions will help insure your success. As you read through these questions, objectively and honestly rate your company on each question using a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best). Any rating below an 8 needs serious attention.

1.What is the fundamental purpose of our business? The foundation of a successful business is established by how clearly the owners and employees understand the purpose of the business. Purpose is the "why" we exist, not what we are, what we do and how we do it. Ex. The fundamental purpose of my company is, To help our clients attain the two goals of marketing: retain and obtain customers. A written purpose statement provides a compass to guide your business. Do you have a clear understanding of your company's purpose?

2.What is the culture of our company? When you define, in writing, the values and principles that guide the company's operations, it is easier to build a productive team of employees and a solid base of customers that share your values and insure your success. What are your company's core values?

3.Is our strategic position aligned with the market(s) we serve? With today's rapidly changing marketplace, driven primarily by technology, it is essential that we constantly review our strategy to be sure we have a pulse on the market(s) we serve and are meeting their changing needs. When is the last time you asked your customers how you could better serve them?

4.Does our internal structure support our purpose, culture and strategy? Over the years of consulting, I discovered many times that a company who wants me to help them "tell the world" about their product or service is not fully prepared to handle an increase in sales volume. This is usually determined by two factors. 1) No written job descriptions outlining specific responsibilities and expectations for the various positions that make up the internal operations. 2) Policies and procedures that are not simple nor "customer friendly". Is your internal structure "customer friendly"? Always remember that your customers have an alternative to spending their money with your company.

5. Do we deliver superior customer service? The general tendency of today's customers and prospects is to view your product or service as a "commodity". They don't see any significant difference between your product/service and your competitor's. Therefore, the lowest price can become the difference between getting an order or not. We all know that we cannot build a solid, long-term, profitable business by only offering the lowest price. The good news is that customers really want to do business with a company that is reliable, earns their trust and confidence (honest and competent), provides solutions and demonstrates they value and appreciate their business. This is called customer service and it begins with the owner or top level of management.

The window of opportunity is wide open for you to differentiate your company by delivering superior customer service. What is the status of your customer service...from your customer's perspective?

6.What is the profile of our best customer? Since time began the standard rule of thumb has been the 80-20 rule. Eighty-percent of your business comes from twenty-percent of your customers. This is not a healthy situation and you can change it. If you think about whom you consider your best customers, the chances are that common characteristics exist in all of them. List those characteristics and expend your resources of people, time and money in retaining those customers and obtaining more like them. What characteristics do your best customers have in common?

7.How do we communicate effectively with our customers and prospects? If you pick one skill that, throughout history, has had the greatest impact on personal and professional success, it is effective communication...written and verbal. When you have successfully answered the preceding six questions this question becomes much easier to answer. Clearly knowing your purpose, culture, strategy, best customer profile, structure and making the needs of your customer your top priority sets the foundation for effective communication. How effective is your communication?

8.Are we maximizing the use of available technology for business solutions? It is easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of new and innovative technology. The real focus needs to be on using technology to solve problems and provide business solutions. It is essential to have someone in your company or a resource who is technological proficient and can advise you on your true needs.

9.Do we frequently ask "What if..." questions? What if questions help you better prepare to meet challenges and maximize opportunities before they occur. Ex. "What if our primary freight carrier has a prolonged strike?" or "What if our major competitor goes out of business?" Are you prepared for the "What ifs you could experience?

10.Are we retaining and obtaining customers? The ultimate measure of success is determined by how well you can retain the customers you have and obtain new ones. This is a quantifiable measurement. The key is to develop a method of tracking customers on a monthly basis. If you are unaware of their status they could go away before you know it. When you focus on retaining customers by taking care of their needs, they will help you obtain new ones. It takes five times the effort to obtain a new customer as it does to keep the ones you have. Are you taking care of your customers or taking them for granted?

"Coach Bud" Coggins provides 40 years experience to help his clients attain the two goals of marketing...to retain and obtain customers. He can be reached at mailto.. bcoggins@cogginsmarketing or visit http//www.cogginsmarketing.com

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10 Safety Checks to Make Before You Buy


10 Safety Checks to Make Before You Buy

by: Adam Fletcher

From crash tests to child seats, here's what to look for when comparing vehicle safety


When choosing a new car, consider government crash-test ratings, as well as features like head restraints, electronic stability control, and rollover resistance.



There are many factors to consider when evaluating a vehicle's overall safety. They range from how it performs in an emergency-handling situation or protects its occupants in a collision to how easy it is to secure a child seat. When comparing vehicles, it's important to look at all the appropriate variables, including safety-related ratings and features. Below, we list 10 safety checks that are worth reviewing before you make your final buying decision.
1. Government crash-test ratings
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts two types of crash tests: full frontal and side impact. Each is scored on a five-star scale, with fewer stars indicating a greater likelihood of serious injury. You can check the scores for all crash-tested vehicles online at www.safercars.gov.

NHTSA's frontal test is a good indication of how well a vehicle's safety belts and air bags protect the occupants in specific types of impacts. The frontal test runs vehicles into a rigid barrier at 35 mph. That simulates a head-on collision between two vehicles of similar weight, each traveling at 35 mph. Instrumented crash dummies in the two front seats record the crash forces they sustain and scores are assigned for the driver and front passenger.

NHTSA's side-impact test simulates a vehicle traveling at 17 mph being hit on the side by a 3,000-pound car traveling at 34 mph. Scores are assigned to the driver and the left-rear passenger.

2. Insurance-industry crash-test ratings
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a safety-research group that conducts its own series of crash tests. In its frontal-offset crash, a vehicle is run at 40 mph into a deformable barrier. Instead of engaging the whole width of the car's front end, the barrier covers just the 40 percent of the car directly in front of the driver.

Using a deformable barrier simulates a car-to-car, driver's-side-to-driver's-side collision, which is a common form of fatal crash. By focusing the crash on only a portion of the car's front, this test severely stresses the car's structural integrity and its ability to protect the area around the driver without collapsing.

The IIHS scores its frontal-crash results as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor. You can find ratings for all tested vehicles at the IIHS Web site, www.hwysafety.org.

Recently, the IIHS has also begun conducting its own side-impact tests, which simulate being hit by a truck instead of NHTSA's 3,000-pound car. However, many vehicles have not yet been tested.

Both the IIHS and NHTSA crash-test results are comparable only to vehicles within the same weight class as the tested car. If vehicle weights are very dissimilar, the results could be very different.

3. Accident avoidance
A vehicle's ability to help you avoid an accident is just as important as its crashworthiness. Key factors to consider are braking and emergency handling, although acceleration, visibility, driving position, and even seat comfort (which affects driver fatigue) also play a role.

4. Air bags
By law, every new passenger vehicle comes equipped with dual front air bags. But the sophistication of the systems can vary. It's worth checking what type of air-bag systems a vehicle has, both in the front and rear.

Many upscale vehicles now have some version of a "smart" air-bag system. It uses electronic sensors to gauge several variables, which, depending on the model, include crash severity, safety-belt use, the position of the driver's seat, and the weight and/or position of an occupant in the front-passenger seat. This information is used to tailor the deployment of the vehicle's front and side air bags.

Dual-threshold and multi-stage front bags can deploy with varying force, depending on crash severity. In a lower-level collision the bags inflate with limited force. In a more severe crash, the bags inflate with more force and more quickly. Many systems withhold deployment on the passenger side if the seat is unoccupied (to save money on replacement) or if the seat is occupied by a person below a certain weight (to prevent possible injury from the bag).

Side air bags are now common for front occupants. The basic side air bag deploys from the seatback or door, and is designed to protect a person's torso. Separate side bags that protect the head are becoming increasingly available, as well. The most common design is a side-curtain bag that drops down from the headliner and covers both the front and rear windows. Consumer Reports highly recommends head-protection side air bags where they're available.

Side torso air bags are also included in the rear seats of some models, but these can pose a risk for smaller children sitting out of position in the outboard seat positions. In some models, rear side bags need to be activated by the dealer.

5. Antilock brake system (ABS)
CR's auto experts highly recommend getting an antilock brake system (ABS), which is available as standard or optional equipment on most vehicles. ABS prevents the wheels from locking up during a hard stop, something that can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. ABS almost always provides shorter stops, but, even more importantly, the system helps keep the vehicle straight and allows the driver to maneuver during a panic stop.

6. Rollover resistance
Taller vehicles, such as SUVs and pickups, are more likely to roll over than passenger cars. According to NHTSA, SUVs have a rollover rate that is two to three times that of passenger cars. In 2002, 61 percent of all SUV fatalities and 45 percent of pickup-truck deaths were the result of a rollover. By contrast, only 22 percent of passenger-car fatalities were because of a rollover.

A taller vehicle has a higher center of gravity, which makes it more top-heavy than one that sits lower to the ground. In a situation where a vehicle is subjected to strong sideways forces, such as in a sudden cornering maneuver, it's easier for a taller vehicle to roll over.

To give consumers a way of telling which vehicles have a higher rollover propensity than others, NHTSA has developed a five-star rating system called the Rollover Resistance Rating (RRR). Until recently, the RRR was based solely on a vehicle's "static stability factor (SSF)," which is determined from measurements of its track width and center of gravity. Because the SSF is based on measurements of a stationary vehicle rather than on a dynamic road test, the rating doesn't account for vehicles' different suspension designs, tires, or the presence of a stability-control systemany of which can make a significant difference. Beginning with the ratings for 2004 models, NHTSA now combines the SSF with a dynamic rollover test performed with moving vehicles.

The RRR is accessible online at www.safercars.gov, but you need to dig deeper than the star ratings to tell how a vehicle performed in the dynamic test. Click on the model name. Scroll down to "Rollover Details" and look under Dynamic Test. The site tells you only whether or not a vehicle tipped up in the test, but not at what speed. Currently, it also lacks data about whether rated vehicles were tested with electronic stability control, described below. We believe that vehicles that tip up in NHTSA's test have a potential stability problem and CR will not recommend them, regardless of their star rating.

7. Electronic stability control (ESC)
Electronic stability control is another safety feature that's highly recommended by CR's auto experts, particularly on SUVs. ESC is designed to help keep the vehicle under control and on its intended path during cornering, and prevent it from sliding or skidding. If a vehicle begins to go out of control, the system selectively applies brakes to one or more wheels and cuts engine power to keep the vehicle on its intended course. On SUVs, stability control can help prevent the vehicle from getting into a situation that could lead to a rollover. While electronic stability control has improved the emergency handling on the vehicles we have tested, it's not a cure-all for inherently poor handling vehicles. Its effectiveness depends on how it is programmed and how it is integrated with the vehicle. It also cannot overcome the laws of physics for out-of-control driving.

Automakers often refer to their stability-control systems by different names, so if it's not clear be sure to ask if a vehicle has electronic stability control. To make it less confusing for the consumer, the Society of Automotive Engineers has asked that all manufacturers use electronic stability control or ESC, as common terminology when referring to their stability-control systems. Consumer Reports supports this announcement, and feels it will help consumers know what they are buying.

A number of studies have been completed and all point to a substantial reduction in accidents and deaths. CR engineers feel that ESC is going to be a major safety feature that may become standard on all cars.

8. Safety-belt features
Three-point lap-and-shoulder belts provide the most protection in a crash, and more vehicles now have them in all seating positions. Many, however, still have only a lap belt in the center-rear position, which allows the upper part of the body to move forward in a crash or panic stop. The comfort of the belts is also important, because some people won't wear them if they're uncomfortable. Some vehicles, for instance, have front belts whose shoulder portion retracts into the seatback instead of the car's door pillar. Their advantage is they move with the seat when the seat is adjusted fore and aft. But they can tug down uncomfortably on the shoulder of someone with a long torso. Microsoft Word: http://www.hardwaresoftwarearticles.com/archive/index.php/f-16.html

Many vehicles include safety-belt pretensioners and force limiters, which work with the air bags to protect you in a crash. Pretensioners automatically take up the slack in the seat belt during a frontal crash, helping to restrain people securely and properly position them for the air bag. Force-limiters relax the safety-belt tension slightly following the initial impact, so they can help absorb some of a person's forward thrust. That helps prevent chest and internal injuries caused by the belt.

9. Head restraints
A car's head restraints are vital for guarding against the whiplash neck injuries that often accompany a rear-end collision. Restraints need to be tall enough to cushion the head above the top of the spine. Many cars' head restraints adjust for height. Look for those that lock in the raised position. Those that do not can be forced down in a crash, losing effectiveness. Many cars' rear restraints are too low to do much good, which Consumer Reports notes in their test reports. The IIHS Web site (www.hwysafety.org) also provides the institute's own head restraint ratings for various models.

10. Child safety
Child-safety seats save lives and should be used until a child is big enough to use the vehicle's regular safety belt. The conventional method of attaching a child seat uses the vehicle's safety belts. Often, incompatibilities between the car's seat and the child seat make a good, tight fit difficult and sometimes impossible. Help and Support: http://www.hardwaresoftwarearticles.com/archive/index.php/f-22.html

All new vehicles now have a universal system called LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) that is designed to make attachment easier and more secure. But the system doesn't work equally well in all vehicles. Consumer Reports has found many cars with the new attachment points sufficiently obscured that even with some of the newest child seats it's not easy to use them. CR comments on the ease of installing child seats in its test reports. But the key is to try before you buy.

Another child-safety consideration is power-window switches. Children have accidentally activated a power window while leaning out and have been killed or injured by the window closing on them. The easiest types to inadvertently trigger are horizontal rocker and toggle switches on the door's armrest, which raise the window when pushed down or to the side. Lever-type switches, which are flush with the surrounding trim and only raise the window when pulled up, are a safer design.

About the Author

Adam Fletcher is the webmaster of Hardware Software Articles http://www.hardwaresoftwarearticles.com .

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