I am a software developer. I work in a profession in denial. I work in a profession that has hard times ahead and no one can see it. I see the iceberg off the bow, but can’t get anyone else to view it as a threat. I see my job going overseas and I’m looking for my lifeboat now.
Consumers Beware – The Profits Are In The Fine Print
“Fees From Riskiest Card Holders Fuel Profits – Late Payers and Big Borrowers Are Becoming Cash Cows as Rates Balloon” … the headlines read in a recent article featured on America Online from the Wall Street Journal’s Mitchell Pacelle. The article outlined how banks are squeezing more revenue from consumers and more often from the ones who can least afford it.
Buyer Beware: Web Hosting, Registration, and Site Building “All in One” Package Nightmares
Starting out in any type of online marketing or Internet business can be confusing and overwhelming. There are so many different aspects of a start-up: domain name registration and purchase, Web site host purchasing, and of course, the “building” of the Web site itself. This leaves many consumers looking for an easier way to purchase everything in one place, both to save money and to save time.
Beware Of Search Engine Vanity
Just a few years ago, when asked “How do you drive traffic to your website”, many companies would name banner ads as their main marketing medium for increasing online revenues. In an effort to increase brand awareness, companies spent thousands of dollars on obnoxious banner advertisements on high profile websites in an effort to cement their reputation as the number one company or product in their industry.
PR Buyers Beware!
It can bite you and waste your public relations budget when the program emphasizes communications tactics instead of how to make certain your key outside audiences understand who and what you are.
Beware of the Traffic Thieves!
Building your Internet business can hard enough without falling victim to traffic thieves. No, I’m not talking about software that overrides your affiliate links with those of another, but the kind of thieves that take your money with lies or deception and don’t deliver what they promise or what they lead you to believe you will get: the so-called guaranteed traffic sites.
Beware of Today’s Targeted Scams
There are zillions of scams floating all over – online websites, emails, regular snail-mail, and phone calls. You need to be wary of everything – and that’s a tough call.
As a funding agent, I got a call the other day, and this woman was asking of we can do a certain type of loan – I asked her to explain, and she said she needed a huge sum of money to build some sort of housing project – in NIGERIA.
Beware the Difficult Client
Most clients are a pleasure to work with. The pains in the derriere are also, when you have enough experience to recognize the type.
I’ve listed several “difficult” types below, so that you can arm yourself against them.
The major weapon in your armory is THE CONTRACT. Always have a contract, no exceptions. Be especially wary of the prospective client who says: “A contract? This will take you what, an hour? Surely you don’t expect a contract for an hour’s work?” (See “The Spider” below.)
Seller Beware!
Last August, I proudly launched my first self-designed website and then quickly began the daunting task of getting the world to beat a path to it. To my happy surprise a few orders actually came in the first week. Among them was a nice large order from Indonesia of all places. Talk about excited! I soon learned however, that the buyer’s credit card was evidently maxed out because the charge wouldn’t go through. When I notified him about this problem he promised to get back with another but I never heard from him again. I was deflated but still excited that my web site was being viewed around the world. I had no qualms at all about selling my product overseas just as I had done in my previous on-line business; as far as I was concerned everyone was welcome!