Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Finding the Right DS3 Bandwidth Provider

Telecommunications contracts can be much like a marriage and as we all know there are good and bad marriages. The fact is, when you enter into a telecommunications contract with a DS3 Bandwidth provider for reasonable amount of bandwidth or voice service you will have to enter into a long term contract. Telecommunications contracts for T1's and DS'3s/T3's typically range from 1 years to 3 years. Anything longer than a 3 year contract is usually only seen in very large applicatons like OC3 and OC12 or complex frame relay connections with many nodes. While the term of the contract will not be a problem if you have the right provider, the contract could prove extrememly burdomsome with the wrong provider.

We suggest using a broker to walk you through your options and show you the providers and services available. A broker or independent agent can help reduce the time it takes you to shop around for a DS3 provider by asking you the questions once and searching through multiple providers to get the service that is right for you. The agent helps steer clear of the bias you will receive when speaking with one vendor as the agent will be paid no matter which service you choose. As the agent doesn't work with a specific provider like AT&T or Sprint, he or she will not push you in that direction if they are not right for you.

Remember that the DS3 Bandwidth provider you select will be your partner for quite some time so take caution in your decision. The worst part of being with a bad provider is the fact that it will affect your business. Dropped calls or an internet connection that goes down can be disastrous to a business. We found that the larger companies like AT&T and Sprint will release companies from long term contracts it if is shown that the voice or data DS3 service was faulty on a regular basisScience Articles, however the release from such a contract will not help recoup the damages of the lost calls and e-mails from the poor service. When shopping for a DS3 provider we suggest using a broker and asking for referals from current customers to give you an indication of what you can expect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications http://BillZilla.com/mscprez and http://DS3-Bandwidth.com delivering choices to both residential and business consumers for voice and data broadband services. Michael also authors BroadBand Nation http://BroadBand-Nation.blogspot.com where you're always welcome to to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, and ramblings for the masses.

Effective Internet Marketing Strategy Writing And Submitting Original Articles

Writing articles and submitting them to directories with the idea of marketing your internet business site can be a very effective way to grow your online business.

Using the right keywords and phrases in original articles and submitting them to article directories has become one of the most profitable ways for internet marketing and advertising today.

Are you using this internet marketing and advertising strategy?You may be missing the opportunity of extra profits on the internet marketing table by not utilizing this effective strategy.

This is one of the many reasons writing original quality content articles is now the latest marketing buzz online today.

The two basics that you can combine to really power a successful website. Content and Website Back Links.

You already know that right?You've heard that Content Is King right?Are you writing articles and submitting them using such services as SubmitYourArticle and Article Marketer?Many internet marketing pro’s have been writing articles for many years. They already know the value of original quality content and using the right keywords will drive targeted traffic to their websites from the search engines and article directories.

So why don’t all internet marketing business owners write and submit articles for their internet marketing strategy today?The simple answer is, that it takes time to write articles, submit them and get targeted traffic to your websites.

Another reason, is that writing articles can remind us of school research papers, essays and reports that can be a deep negative anchor in the subconscious mind for many of us.

Did you really enjoy writing when you were in school?If your answer is yes, you have an advantage because about 95% of internet business owners don't use this effective marketing strategy.

Imagine how much opportunity there is for you because of this simple fact.

Only about 5% of all marketers are taking advantage of this internet marketing strategy and internet advertising.

Many marketers are using this strategy to make money online on the front and backend writing and submitting articles.

Why do you think many marketing sites want fresh, quality, original keyword rich content articles?The website owner can have an article with keywords that relate to their website content. This helps their websites page rank when indexed by the search engines.

Think about this for a moment. Imagine taking advantage of a work at home opportunity, marketing from both sides of the sales coin with 3 simple steps.

3 Easy Steps For Writing Original Content With Keywords

1.) You write quality original content, keyword/phrase rich articles, with links to your website in the resource box.

2.) You build a website or web page with targeted keyword/phrase rich original content for the targeted traffic that originates from your articles.

3.) You have your site or sites targeted from your keyword/phrase original content articles when visitors looking for more information arrive.

A Win-Win Situation For Everyone Involved.
The person looking for quality content and information.
The person writing the original content articles.
The person with the quality original content website.

Internet marketing business owners who incorporate keywords/phrases with writing articles, can make money online if done properly with this internet marketing strategy.

An Overview Of Keyword/Phrase Research And Writing Articles.

There are 3 keys to internet marketing success writing articles and using keywords and phrases.

1.) Keyword Research. Find popular subjects and keywords/phrases, using a keyword selector and suggestion tool by Overture and 7Search.

2.) Writing Articles. Write original content with keywords from your research.

3.) Quality Content Site. Build a quality content site incorporated with the target subject and keywords/phrases of your articles and website.

Writing and submitting original articles and using keywords for your internet marketing strategy can be a very effective way to build profits over the long term.

For building long term successFeature Articles, there’s very little you can do that will give you near the same results online today for long term business growth. Writing and submitting articles provides an effective way to drive targeted traffic to your sites for many years to come.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dean Shainin owns the work at home directory website located at:http://www.EndlessIncomeForLife.comCome by and visit us today! Also, be sure to check out our "top pick" work at home opportunity at: http://www.EndlessIncomeForLife.com/pips

How To Choose A Web Designer

How does one assess a potential internet partner, who can and should be a long-time partner in the online success of your business? Here are some things to look at carefully when choosing a web designer, web developer, internet business consultant, or related service provider.
A little while back I had a bit of a discussion about a certain profession that I won't mention here in case someone from the industry in question takes it the wrong way. Don't get me wrong, every major profession is there for a reason and adds a tremendous amount of value to society. The fact of the matter is that every industry and profession has good aspects and bad. When you think of a doctor, lawyer, architect, accountant, etc, you tend to have a personal frame of reference, as well as a more widely held stereotype. There are usually some aspects of that profession that irritate you, or that you think could do with some improvement. Perhaps you don't make use of certain professional services because of these perceptions, whether or not they are commonly held or based on fact.

That got me thinking about my own industry, and what it is about the internet consulting and web design and development industry that drives people nuts, and that if things were different, people would utilize these services more often. What would people change about the industry if they had a magic wand? What would you do differently if you were, for example, a web developer, to differentiate yourself?These are some of the things I've been told hold people back when discussing this topic with some small businesses:

* Web design and development is too expensive for the average small business
* Apprehension over how qualified an internet professional really is
* There is too much jargon in the industry, which makes it confusing to assess as a non-technical business person
* There is a shortage of internet programming skills relative to visual design skills in the industry

Personally, my big wish is that a certain level of qualification (a degree combining computer science, design and business) was a requirement to practice, the same way that older professions are required to, like accountants, doctors, lawyers, etc. The low barrier to entry makes it difficult for businesses to distinguish experts from hobbyists. Imagine having to choose your doctor based on what he tells you he knows how to do for you!So, how then does one assess a potential internet partner, who can and should be a long-time partner in the online success of your business? Here are some things to look at carefully when choosing a web designer, web developer, internet business consultant, or related service provider, from my experience:

Technical and business qualifications and experience. Is the business comprised of an inexperienced person with a web design hobby, or has the business got people with tertiary level business, programming and design skills in-house? Make sure they have real-world business experience in developing e-commerce solutions, and look into how far back that goes.

What online business applications has the business developed previously, and how does this match your requirements? Some web design businesses will give you a very nice looking static brochure site, while others will be able to offer advanced functionality, such as a database and content management capabilities, e-commerce functionality, internet business consulting services, site promotion, site management, hosting, domain registration, design, application development, site optimization, newsletter systems, form processing capabilities, logging of user activity, online surveys and polls, user registration and authentication, advertising management, content syndication, and the like. Check how many of these are optional extras an how many are included in the price you are quoted up front. You should always get a detailed proposal up front, and compare apples for apples rather than being too subjective initially. RealmSurfer, for example, differentiates by bundling over 250 enterprise-level applications into our small business package, at a lower price than most web designers will charge just for the design and some basic functionality.

Long term cost/benefit. What is it going to cost you the next time you need to make a modification? I've never yet come across a successful website that was designed and left as it was created on day one. Your site needs to change with your business, so make sure you know how you will be billed for those changes, and what the time frame for them will be. Every site also has hosting, bandwidth and maintenance costs that most people don't think of when first creating a site. Look into what these will be, and what you get for them, so that you can budget for them when starting your project. Also keep in mind that a cheap solution with one or two features will probably not serve you as well as a slightly more expensive one with extensive built-in capabilities.

Personal style and preference. Different businesses will bring different styles and methodologies to the party. Make sure that the one you go with suits your personal preferences. If your internet specialist loves graphic-intensive Flash-based sites, they will probably develop your informative content-based solution, just not as well as someone who specializes in your preferred style.

Online promotion. Make sure that the business you choose is good at promoting their own online presence. Google, Yahoo, and MSN are the three most popular search engines, so make use of them when choosing a provider. If you are looking for a web developer in your local area, search for the terms you find most important and include the name of your area. For example, I optimize my services for the Joondalup area north of Perth, Western Australia, so a search for "web design Perth" or "web design Joondalup", "web development Perth"or "web development Joondalup", helps people find what they are looking for when searching for local website development service providers. An internet business that is no good at promoting itself online will be worse at helping you get yours up to full potential.

Satisfaction guarantees. No website can make a flawed business model work, but an online expert should be able to help you make it everything it can be over time, much the same way a personal trainer can't make you fit overnight, but they can help you become a top athlete with focused ongoing attention. Find out what guarantees, if any, are provided. This is a real differentiator, because, understandably, many web design businesses won't do this. Those that do are at least serious and confident in their abilities to ensure that their clients are happy and successful.

Management of expectations. Any internet business that claims excessive short term success rates is probably overselling themselves. Make sure that they (and you) are realistic about the time frames in which your online presence will start producing results.

Consulting skills. Make sure that you are dealing with an internet consultancy, not just a web design house. Experienced internet consultants have the business experience to help you make your business successful online in ways a web designer will probably not.

Find successful web sites online. Many will have the site developer's details in the footerPsychology Articles, or in a credits section of the site.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Malan is a web design, development and e-commerce expert, with over ten years experience in the industry. He owns and runs RealmSurfer Consulting, an internet business consultancy based in Joondalup, Perth, Western Australia.
Website: RealmSurfer Web Design Perth
About: About RealmSurfer Consulting