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Increase Your Sales By 25% By Implementing One Small Change
Copyright (c) 2002-2023 Bill Platt
How much would you be willing to pay to learn how to implement a guaranteed 25% increase in your online sales? Given the current sales situation on your website, how much would that 25% increase in sales add to your bottom line? $250 per month? $500? $25,000?
The good news is that I am not going to charge you for this information. I am just going to give it to you.
Granted, it may require some work on your part to implement this little jewel, but you already spend untold hours searching for new business, right? While implementing this suggestion might require a few hours work on your part, it will continue to pay its dividends through the long-term future.
If instead of building your own site, you employ a web designer to do your HTML work for you, this suggestion will cost you a few dollars to get the additional website work done.
Let me reiterate. This step will result in a 25% increase in your sales. As far as I am concerned, your web designer should do as you desire him/her to do, or he/she should be replaced with someone who will. If I am paying someone to do a certain type of work for me, then they should do it as I require it to be done.
As you begin to undertake this task, you may discover that you may need to find another web designer. Even when you are paying money for web design work, many of you will find your web designer fighting with you as to whether this step is important to your success or not.
Let's put this into perspective. Your web designer knows how to build websites. Knowing how to build websites does not necessarily lead to knowing how to market a website or how to sell products.
You will shortly understand why web designers fight this suggestion with assertions that it will not make a difference for your online sales. No matter how strongly they may argue their point of view, 25% is a big chunk of business to give up to let them have their way.
Nearly every web designer I have ever talked to uses software to build the websites they build. If you are building your own website, you likely use software as well.
There are many packages these folks use including: FrontPage, Dream Weaver, Home Page or dozens of other variations of this software.
While the software may be efficient for building What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) web pages, quickly and easily, these software packages have many disadvantages as well.
One disadvantage is that the software creates dirty HTML, which in effect is the act of placing too many HTML tags in the code. Often times, dirty HTML is best understood by looking at the code with an educated eye and seeing sets of HTML tags where they are unnecessary.
Though this is ugly for editing and can take additional seconds for your viewer to download, that is not the real source of the problem we seek to repair. But, do remember this point as we move on. Dirty HTML is "ugly for editing."
It is now time for some Bill Gates' bashing.
Back in 1996, Bill Gates finally pulled his head out of the sand and realized the future for the software market was on the Internet. In a mad dash to catch up, Microsoft created Internet Explorer to compete with Netscape Navigator. Until this point, Netscape dominated the Internet browser market.
As part of Microsoft's strategy for gaining market share, they soon began to offer their browser for free to compete with Netscape's $25.00 price tag. And secondly, but most dastardly, Microsoft began to create their own set of HTML codes. They wanted to be sure their browser could do things that the other browsers could not, and they wanted to make sure that web pages would not be completely compatible among the different browsers.
The idea was that if people needed Internet Explorer to see certain web pages, then surfers would decide to give up their Netscape browsers for the Internet Explorer browser.
Today, Netscape exists as the red-headed step child subsidiary of AOL. Netscape exists only as a bargaining chip in AOL's pocket when negotiating deals with rival Microsoft.
So, here we come to the point of this story. Prior to 1996, Netscape was loved the world over. Today, Microsoft's Internet Explorer basically owns the market and has done so since about 1998.
Folks who have come to the web since 1998 generally use Microsoft's Internet Explorer as their browser of choice. Folks who have been on the web since before 1996 generally stay with Netscape browsers.
Remember how Microsoft began to create their own set of HTML codes that would not be easily compatible with other browsers? Ah, we are to the meat of this deal.
Web designers and their web page creating software focuses on being compatible the dominant browser in the marketplace. What this means is that a great many web pages cannot be read or seen in Netscape browsers.
In a recent month, one of my domains had 6604 page views. Only 5285 of those page views were seen by Internet Explorer users. The remaining 20% were seen through another browser!
No matter the domain visited or the month viewed, these numbers seem to hold up to the test of time.
If your website is not viewable in non Internet Explorer browsers, then 20% of your current traffic may not be able to view your site and must move on to another site to find what they are seeking. They were at your site --- you have already successfully attracted their attention --- but they could only see a blank page when they arrived.
It is like taking a $100 bill and breaking it into twenties and then flushing one of your twenties straight down the toilet! Getting that $20 bill back is the same as increasing your income by 25%.
So how can we fix this quickly and easily? I have fixed many such pages in times past and in nearly every case, the problem can be quickly identified in the table HTML code. Yes, Microsoft does in essence use the exact same HTML as does Netscape, with a few extras thrown in.
Where Internet Explorer differs from Netscape is actually pretty clever. Netscape browsers require that all tables are presented with accurate opening and closing HTML table element brackets. Internet Explorer differs from Netscape by not requiring perfection in the HTML code. Leave off a closing table bracket and Internet Explorer will show the table perfectly. Leave off the closing table bracket in Netscape and Netscape will deliver a blank page!
Nearly every web designer on the planet utilizes table elements in their design. Remember the point about Dirty HTML? Now you know why web designers get very frustrated when you tell them that your web page must be cross-browser compatible. If a web designer wants my money, he had better be prepared to give me a cross-browser compatible web page so I do not have to lose access to 20% of my market because of incompatibility issues.
Do yourself a favor. Get a copy of a Netscape browser and make certain that your website presents its contents to Netscape users. If you cannot see your website in the Netscape browser, the time has come to fix your website so that it will.
If you do not believe that the 20% of us who use Netscape browsers are worth much to your bottom line, I have a suggestion. Fix you website because I asked you to and then start sending me the $20 bills that you have been flushing down the toilet.
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You can become a better writer, with the right training. If you are looking to improve your writing skills or learn how to better market your writing projects, visit Bill Platt's website to see how he can help you: http://PlattPublishing.com/ If you are looking to buy or sell writing services, check out Bill's Freelance Writer Marketplace at: http://FreelanceWritersReview.com/
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Top-Level Category: Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Bill Platt
Four Tips For Creating An Effective Authors' Resource Box
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-08-27 |
Word Count: 1669 |
Page Views: 8024
| Votes: 18 |
Rating: 2.50
In article marketing, there are many factors that will
affect your articles' ability to promote your website in
the most effective manner. In this article, we will briefly
discuss a couple those factors, before we dive into how to
create an effective Authors' Resource Box, also known as
the About The Author Information.
Website Traffic Generation: Winning the Love of the Traffic Fairy
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-08-24 |
Word Count: 1149 |
Page Views: 8908
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 1.86
Some people still believe that all they have to do is build
a website and customers will magically appear on their
site... Once they have built their websites, they wait
anxiously for the "Traffic Fairy" to come and sprinkle its
magic dust on their website too, so that they can make lots
of money like other success website owners.
What Kind Of Backlinks Are Best At Helping Your Website In Google?
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-08-21 |
Word Count: 439 |
Page Views: 9965
| Votes: 23 |
Rating: 2.74
I was in the Warrior Forum, and someone asked what kinds of
Backlinks are worth pursuing. This is my answer to that
query.
Understanding the Mechanics of Effective Article Marketing and Article Syndication
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-08-01 |
Word Count: 1399 |
Page Views: 6549
| Votes: 10 |
Rating: 1.80
Visit several marketing blogs or marketing forums, and you
will find dozens of people proclaiming the death of article
marketing as an effective marketing tool. Before we start
agreeing with them, consider this...
Top 10 Reasons Why Online Marketers Fail With Article Marketing
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-31 |
Word Count: 1025 |
Page Views: 7811
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 2.08
If you've been marketing products online for any length of
time, you've likely heard people talk about the power and
promise of article marketing for the promotion of your
online business. Unfortunately, many online marketers have
tried to utilize article marketing to benefit their online
business and failed. In this article, I document the top ten
reasons why people fail to find success with article
marketing... And how to fix your article marketing
campaigns...
Article Marketing Tip: Stop Trying To Sell From Within Your Articles
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-30 |
Word Count: 1229 |
Page Views: 5996
| Votes: 10 |
Rating: 1.40
The basic premise of article marketing is to present people
information that will be important to them, then at the end
of the article, present information "about the author" and
offer to the reader a means to see how the author can help
the reader further. When done well, article marketing
continues to be one of the most effective methods of
promotion that one could employ online.
The Six Degrees of Internet Marketing
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-30 |
Word Count: 991 |
Page Views: 8420
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.43
The theory behind the Six Degrees of Separation is that all
people on earth can be connected together in as little as
six steps. Now, I know what you might be thinking at this
juncture... That sounds fun and interesting, but what does
that have to do with Internet Marketing? That is a great
question that I am going to answer for you in this
article...
How To Increase Your Rates and Earnings As a Freelance Writer
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-29 |
Word Count: 1191 |
Page Views: 5937
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.55
Freelance writers fill a very important role in today's
business marketplace. They create the on-demand, customized
content that business owners everywhere need to push their
businesses forward. In this article, the author explains
what freelance writers should do to ensure that employers
will pay them well for their services.
The Death and Resurrection of Quality Content
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-25 |
Word Count: 769 |
Page Views: 7578
| Votes: 13 |
Rating: 1.85
No matter where you go online, you are bound to find someone
complaining about the quality of content available online.
When we want to find information that answers our questions
for us, the last thing we want to do is to land on a MFA
(Made For Adsense) website with questionable content. And
yet, many of the people who complain about this state of
affairs also contribute to the problem...
Successful Article Marketers Help Readers Solve Problems
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2013-07-24 |
Word Count: 816 |
Page Views: 26030
| Votes: 34 |
Rating: 2.79
Every week, I have the opportunity to speak with people about the
benefits and challenges of using article marketing to promote an
online business. Article marketing is about getting your sales
message in front of potential customers and to get links to your
website. Many interpret this to mean that an article should
directly promote a website within the article, but that approach
is wrong and will reduce one's success using this methodology.
All of Author's Articles on this site: Bill Platt Articles
Most Recent "" Articles
Ann Arbor, MI Offers A Lot Of Year-Around Family Fun
Written by: Jeb Maxwell |
Distributed: 2010-01-20 |
Word Count: 595 |
Page Views: 4757
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 1.25
Ann Arbor, Michigan is the home of the University of Michigan, a
leading institution of higher education. Ann Arbor is a wonderful
place to visit. The University is co-mingled with the city and
greatly expands the cultural places and events available in the
area.
Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5926
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
Father's Day started. In 1909, Sonora sat in a church in Spokane,
Washington listening to a sermon expounding on the virtues of
motherhood. But, as she sat there, she thought about how special
her own father was since it was he who raised her after the death
of her mother.
Finding the Adventure in Travel Again
Written by: Helen Bergstein |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 718 |
Page Views: 4395
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.64
If you want to experience adventure at every level of your next
trip, you need to go beyond the usual resorts and places to stay.
If you're like most travelers, personal safety remains a priority,
especially in today's world. A growing number of savvy travelers
have found the perfect balance between adventure and comfort.
7 Tips to Hiring a Good DJ for your Party
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 563 |
Page Views: 5304
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.36
If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
for days and years later, hire a good DJ to run your music and
light show. Hiring a DJ can actually be fun. Just follow these
simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
party.
Building your Credit to get a Mortgage
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5360
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
not sure if your credit is good enough to get a mortgage. There
are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
1569 Unique Ways To Get A Free Lunch
Written by: Steve Robichaud |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3622
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Everywhere you turn - T.V., Radio, magazines, or the Internet,
someone is talking about government grants. What's the real
story? Does the government give away real money, to ordinary
people, to use for whatever they want? Let's take a closer look:
Don't Wait to Start Your Marketing Strategy
Written by: Jo Fulkerson |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3906
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Your novel is finished, you’ve had it edited by a professional Editor, and you’ve done the rewrites. What? You haven’t had an editor edit your work yet? This is a must. There are many editors advertising in Writer’s Digest.
NEVER Reply to an eGroup Post!
Written by: BIG Mike McDaniel |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 5157
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
eGroups are collections of people subscribed to a
common (discussion list) address. When one member
sends an eMail message to the eGroup address, it
is automatically sent to everyone else on the
list. As subscribers open and read their eMail,
discussion threads take shape with additional
posts and replies. The attraction of eGroups is
the ability to join in at your convenience as
opposed to the confinement of live chat rooms.
Reasons behind Shoulder Pain
Written by: Jessica Horowitz |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 4954
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Pain between the shoulder blades, or any pain for that matter,
is your body's way of notifying you that something is amiss. You
should never ignore it and hope it will *go away by itself*.
There are a multitude of possible causes of pain between the
shoulder blades. We'll discuss common ones in this article and
start with the most serious conditions first:
Effective Managers Need To Coach
Written by: Wendy Hearn |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 4434
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 0.75
Bearing in mind the fast pace of business today and the
need to stay competitive, it's essential that managers
should be effective. They need to be especially
effective with their people and this requires learning
to coach. For most managers, coaching has been added
to their role anyway, but the majority haven't received
any training in coaching skills.
Most Viewed "" Articles
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY - LIFE'S BIGGEST QUESTION
Written by: Richard Sparky Bryan |
Distributed: 2006-05-07 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 13808
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
When did Americans stop taking responsibility for their own
actions? My friend agreed
that the slide began in the late 1960's with the growth of the
drug culture.
But he was quick to emphasize that although the sixties began
the slide, the real sharp slope did not arrive until the 1990's.
Along about 1993, the slide began to sharpen. It was not until
early 1998 that the slope became a steep cliff.
High Thread Count Bed Sheets. How Many Threads Does A Bed Sheet Need?
Written by: Liz Beresford |
Distributed: 2004-09-14 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6583
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
High thread count bed sheets, often called percale, are much
advertised, but what exactly does 'high thread' count mean? You
know that it means quality and comfort, but do you know why? It
used to be considered good to have thread count of 180-200 but
thread counts of up to 1000 are advertised these days.. So what
is going on? Does high thread count always mean better quality?
Is there an optimum thread count, and if so what is it?
Muzzling the Motor Mouths: Silence Workplace Windbags
Written by: Bill Lampton Ph.D. |
Distributed: 2005-12-01 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6329
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 0.50
During my twenty-three years in management, I dealt with
blabbermouths frequently, so for the last ten years I have
advised clients on how to silence the workplace windbags.
Here are my suggestions for muzzling the motor mouths:
Better Than Botox is there a Safer Substitute?
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2005-09-08 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6224
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
Women since time immemorial have always looked for ways to
enhance and prolong their beauty. This of course becomes more
difficult as they age.
12 Ways to Promote Your Business And Website for Free
Written by: Ivana Katz |
Distributed: 2005-03-29 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6196
| Votes: 3 |
Rating: 0.33
You are very excited!! You have finally created your own
website!! But the trouble is customers aren*t knocking on your
website door. Why? The most probable answer is...
Transform Your Work Area into a Homey Environment
Written by: Ted Roberson |
Distributed: 2006-02-24 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 6030
| Votes: 4 |
Rating: 1.25
Nothing enables one to think and work better than a comfortable
working environment. Especially if you have a sedentary job,
you've got to have little knick knacks around that will enliven
your spirits or which you can look at for inspiration or just
to zone out in relaxation.
Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5926
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
Father's Day started. In 1909, Sonora sat in a church in Spokane,
Washington listening to a sermon expounding on the virtues of
motherhood. But, as she sat there, she thought about how special
her own father was since it was he who raised her after the death
of her mother.
Sell Yourself, Not Your Products or Services
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2004-05-03 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 5645
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 0.50
Sell yourself, not your products or services. The point we
need to make is that your products and services will change
over time as your business adapts to the realities of the
marketplace.
Building your Credit to get a Mortgage
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5360
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
not sure if your credit is good enough to get a mortgage. There
are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
7 Tips to Hiring a Good DJ for your Party
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 563 |
Page Views: 5304
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.36
If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
for days and years later, hire a good DJ to run your music and
light show. Hiring a DJ can actually be fun. Just follow these
simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
party.
Highest Ranked "" Articles
Finding the Adventure in Travel Again
Written by: Helen Bergstein |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 718 |
Page Views: 4395
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.64
If you want to experience adventure at every level of your next
trip, you need to go beyond the usual resorts and places to stay.
If you're like most travelers, personal safety remains a priority,
especially in today's world. A growing number of savvy travelers
have found the perfect balance between adventure and comfort.
Freedom- or Burden of Choice?
Written by: Patsi Krakoff |
Distributed: 2004-09-30 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 1099
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 2.57
Everyday decisions have become increasingly complex due to the
overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.
A trip to a typical supermarket reveals enormous choices such
as 85 different crackers, 285 types of cookies, 230 varieties
of canned soup, 80 different pain relievers, and 360 kinds of
shampoo. Does this improve the quality of our lives?
Building your Credit to get a Mortgage
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 840 |
Page Views: 5360
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
You are thinking about purchasing real estate. However, you are
not sure if your credit is good enough to get a mortgage. There
are things that you can do to build your credit so that it is
worthy of any mortgage that may interest you.
Flowers Are The Perfect Gift For Father's Day
Written by: Wesley Berry, AAF |
Distributed: 2008-02-20 |
Word Count: 486 |
Page Views: 5926
| Votes: 17 |
Rating: 2.24
Dads everywhere have Sonora Smart Dodd to thank for getting
Father's Day started. In 1909, Sonora sat in a church in Spokane,
Washington listening to a sermon expounding on the virtues of
motherhood. But, as she sat there, she thought about how special
her own father was since it was he who raised her after the death
of her mother.
Testimonials and Reviews Increase Your Real Sales Potential
Written by: Bill Platt |
Distributed: 2006-02-10 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2930
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 2.00
The one essential ingredient for online success in
any endeavor is gaining your prospect's trust.
7 Tips to Hiring a Good DJ for your Party
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-05-11 |
Word Count: 563 |
Page Views: 5304
| Votes: 11 |
Rating: 1.36
If you want to have a party that everyone will be talking about
for days and years later, hire a good DJ to run your music and
light show. Hiring a DJ can actually be fun. Just follow these
simple tips, and you are sure to have a fabulous DJ for your
party.
Ann Arbor, MI Offers A Lot Of Year-Around Family Fun
Written by: Jeb Maxwell |
Distributed: 2010-01-20 |
Word Count: 595 |
Page Views: 4757
| Votes: 8 |
Rating: 1.25
Ann Arbor, Michigan is the home of the University of Michigan, a
leading institution of higher education. Ann Arbor is a wonderful
place to visit. The University is co-mingled with the city and
greatly expands the cultural places and events available in the
area.
How to Decorate Your Home on EBay
Written by: Pamela Cole Harris |
Distributed: 2005-09-14 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2159
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 1.20
If you are on a budget (and who isn’t?), a wonderful place for
find home decorating accessories is auction sites like eBay. But
before you go a’baying, here is some advice...
The "Proprietary Blend" Nutritional Supplement
Written by: Will Brink |
Distributed: 2006-02-10 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 3511
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.60
In a nut shell, I went onto cover each of these common marketing
terms that are used to sell supplements to unwitting consumers
and explained each in detail as to what I view as their common
misuse within the market place.
Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition
Written by: Will Brink |
Distributed: 2006-02-24 |
Word Count: 0 |
Page Views: 2323
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 0.60
Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, seeks to explain
seemingly incompatible aspects of various theories. In this
article I attempt to unify seemingly incompatible or opposing
views regarding nutrition, namely, what is probably the longest
running debate in the nutritional sciences: calories vs. macro
nutrients.
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