As you know, I've been building websites since 1995. I've always been a big fan of creating content-rich sites that bring value to others. That's why I have always spoken against creating spammy sites designed to game the search engines. It's not a good model for building a long-term business. I've sold a number of my sites over the years. In 1998, Yahoo! purchased my multiplayer game site, ClassicGames.com. Today you know it as Yahoo... Continue Reading

When was the last time you read a press release? Let's face it. The majority of press releases issued by companies are totally boring and uninteresting. Why is that? Certainly Company X is excited about their new product and they can't wait to tell the world about it. But why should a blogger or media outlet care about Company X's new product or service? Unless your company's name is Apple, odds are you will have... Continue Reading

"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven." - Ecclesiastes 3:1 Nothing lasts forever. Change is inevitable. Over the past fifteen or so years I have created dozens of websites, products, services and applications that run the gamut of new media. Content sites, information products, member sites, web-based software, iPhone applications, mobile marketing platforms, entertainment sites and more. During that time I have had some tremendous successes and some... Continue Reading

The holiday season can be pretty intense -- presents to buy, social events to go to, cookies to eat, and through it all you are still running your online business. But don't forget to take some time out to sit down and reflect on the year that's passed and the one coming up. Doing so can bring your business and your efforts into sharper focus and help you know what you want to shoot for... Continue Reading

What makes the difference between a person who succeeds and one who doesn't? What makes the difference between a person who accomplishes great things and another who never does anything? What makes the difference between a person who gets what they want and one that is left empty-handed? Certainly, life can throw all kinds of curveballs at us. We don't get to choose our parents. We don't get to choose where we are born. We... Continue Reading

You've come up with a business idea you believe will rock the world. You have built your website... it's so beautiful it brings a tear to your eye. You are the expert in your field and you've got something to say. Now you just need someone to say it to! It's no surprise that the best way to become recognized is to be interviewed by others who want to leverage your expertise for a newspaper... Continue Reading

Depending on whom you talk to, the long form sales page can generate some of the most heated discussion among Internet marketers. Lots of people love to hate this element of the sales process and are not shy about saying so. Critics find them annoying, cheesy, ugly, and obnoxious. So what's the flip side? Why do people use them? There is just one pro to long form sales pages to counteract all the criticism, but... Continue Reading

At first glance you might thing #25 in my list of 25 Computer Games that Rocked My World is somehow related to World of Warcraft. It's not. In fact, when The Horde was released in 1994, there wasn't even a company called Blizzard to create the Warcraft universe. Yet this action-strategy game holds a place in a my heart despite Kirk Cameron appearing in the video cutscenes. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Brian Means) Attending conferences is a great thing to do for your business. However, it's easy to get in the bad habit of over-commitment, attending too many conferences when you don't even have a solid game plan for attending one. Too many people do not have a clear end in mind when attending conferences. You need to create a strategy for your conference season. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Fletcher Groeneman) If you are looking to create a distinct and memorable brand for yourself or a product, you will more than likely discover thousands of techniques and strategies to aid you in the process of branding. Branding is what defines you in the mind of the consumer; it is your calling card. Without it, you don't exist in the world of commerce. Discover the foolproof method for developing your brand... Continue Reading

I've been a fan of The Panera Bread Company for years. They have many tasty menu items that I enjoy. But this winter they introduced a Chicken Bacon Dijon sandwich that quickly became my new favorite. It's a grilled chicken panini with bacon and a sweet honey Dijon dressing. Add a bowl of chicken noodle soup to the deal and I'm a happy man. I walked into the restaurant this week, my appetite anticipating a... Continue Reading

In this weekly update, you might find me trending a bit towards pop culture. There's just so much to talk about. The title of the entry sandwiches a very serious issue in between two entertaining, yet ultimately meaningless television programs for a reason. That's because the health care discussion (if you can call it that) that has taken place in the United States the past year has been largely void of substance. Instead, the current... Continue Reading

I'm going to try something new. Typically, I write articles designed to inspire or educate. Occasionally I'll discuss a product or service I think you'll find valuable. And from time to time I share a little bit of my own life with you. I have an idea for a weekly "roundup" of sorts that I'll use to discuss things that are happening with me, my business, in the industry or whatever else crosses my mind... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Sarah Jane Griesemer) Having an idea, product, video, or marketing plan go viral is something of a holy grail for online marketers. Sure, everyone wants it to happen to them, but how do you do it? What is the magic formula for a successful viral marketing campaign? The answer, unfortunately, is that there isn't one. You know a good viral campaign when you see one, and since by its very definition... Continue Reading