In this edition of Web Enlightenment we'll be talking about your shift rate for the coming year.

This newsletter focuses on giving you practical, interesting insights into how to successfully use technology as a tool to improve the way you do business. Bridging the gap between knowledge and understanding that all entrepreneurs have will help you make money online.

Please hit reply and tell me what you plan to adjust web wise for 2009. I answer every email sent to me.

All the best,

2009 Shift Rate - Back to Basics

In the beginning of last year I wrote a piece on shift rate - the pace at which folks are moving their marketing and advertising dollars to the web.

Recently the news has been filled with lots of doom and gloom about the coming year. I know that I am not clear about the exact technical distinction between a recession and a depression, but neither are the newspapers. I do know that many of those articles make me depressed, so there is some depression for you.

At this time of difficulties certain businesses are doing very well. People that sell alcohol, people that sell mental health services, people that sell education (an excellent choice for the newly unemployed) - and folks that sell web services.

Business in the land of web site creation is going through the roof and is likely to continue doing so for at least the first half of this year. So long as those providers don't take pleasure in the misery of others that is causing this, I think it is wonderful that web development firms are doing so well now.

The Internet can provide you with amazing, measurable, proven sales and marketing results. As folks look to tighten budgets they proceed directly to the web and many of them are making plans to dramatically increase their shift rate this year.

It is probable that the age old conventional wisdom is ringing in your head - you know the old "when times are good, you should advertise. When times are bad, you must advertise" type stuff? It is a dangerous place to cut expenses and yet it is so very easy to do so.

So here is the danger for the Internet Entrepreneur, this is the part where you need to pay attention.

While the web is a great medium an awful lot of the stuff on the web is in fact garbage.

The "latest and greatest" is tempting and it will help you feel like you "threw some money" at the problem. Big mistake.

I'd strongly recommend you get back to basics this year and work on simple stuff first.

Are you considering a social media enhanced blog effort? Not before you have a good reliable enewsletter in shape.

Are you thinking about slathering your site with videos? Not before you've done a basic design/usability analysis I hope.

Are you focusing on search engine optimized press releases? Not before you are performing a search engine rank analysis reliably and regularly.

Can the web deliver in times of trouble? Absolutely, no doubt about it.

But the bottom line is this - as you correctly increase your shift rate you also increase your danger. 2009 is the time to get your basics in shape and focus on well proven methods and tactics.

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