Thanks for visiting INFOnet1, and investing the time and effort to learn some of the basics about creating an online presence (place of existence online) and marketing program on the Internet. This introductory report is by no means intended to be a compendium of all those things that are necessary to get you more familiar with the magnificent expanse of cyberspace  marketing. It is a simple, easy to understand, sequence of tasks, written in lay terms, to assist you in making rapid progress in getting your online venture or business up, functional, and ready to greet the online world that lies ahead of you.  

       To better acquaint you, we've even highlighted some of the more common terms that describe elements of the online world, and, in many cases, have provided brief descriptions to assist you in understanding some of the jargon.  

       In the summer of '97, I made a commitment and set a goal to double my online proficiency by December, realizing that the Internet (huge worldwide network(s), comprised of an estimated 75-100 million online computers) was and is,  to use a trite phrase, "the wave of the future."  

       As a successful off-line sportswear entrepreneur, who built and has maintained a business for some 25 years, I was looking for something additional, to complement this clothing enterprise, and to provide me with some new, challenging, and exciting horizons.  

       So much of what you read here will profile that progress and encompass the knowledge from that point forward to this very keystroke. If you find, in reading this report, that it is all too familiar to you and there isn't much to learn, then it's an indicator that you are past this level, and may need to step up to some of the more advanced information and  topics covered in INFOnet 201, INFOnet 301, INFOnet 401.  

       This report is meant to be basic, it's a 101 course. It is based on my humble opinion and is not a 'know all, end all." document. It is based on where I've been, what I've done, and what has worked for me. There are other ways to approach things, and this one is a very viable one which works.  

       For online purposes it needs to have enough guts for what you want to do. For multi-tasking (working in a number of applications at once)  Internet marketing it needs to have enough capacity to keep a number of windows open at once, and to also allow you  to process the information within those windows (a separate viewing area on a display screen provided by a Windows software)  within reasonable capacity, and with some degree of speed.  

       I would suggest a bare minimum of 16 megabytes of RAM (random access memory, or the memory that your machine can use to operate application programs) , preferably 32 megs, and beyond that, if you want to do some high speed gaming, etc. I started out on a laptop with 8 megabytes of ram, and continually bumped the system's capacity. I have moved to 64 megs, which gives me moderate graphics ability, and an ample legs to get up and gallop while online.  With an eye towards tomorrow, this can always be expanded.  

        In terms of clock speed (the speed at which the processor works), time is money, and one of the most challenging things about sitting at a slower machine is that, even though you want to go faster, it won't! The combination of adequate ram and decent clock speed will spell wonders for your patience in waiting or not waiting for your machine to process the incredible number of files (collection of data for a specific use) and applications (specific use for the computer) in cruising the Internet.  

       I've gotten to this point with a Pentium 100, and have invested in a 300mhz machine, which, in combination with the 64 megs of ram, will propel one through cyberspace at a pretty fair clip. In terms of usage, it should also be a pretty good bet for two to three years to come. I have always tried to get three good years out of a computer, before it basically becomes technically obsolete or difficult to use.  

       In terms of printer, scanners, and other peripherals (add-ons to the main CPU, central processing unit, of your computer) you may need, that is up to you and what your needs and comfort level represent.  As we all know, the computer you settle into should be dictated by both your needs for what you plan to do, as well as your budget.  

       Most of the big electronics/computer retailers, such as Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, and others have helpful, trained, on-floor sales people who will help you sort through the confusion of what machine will suit your needs. In visiting with them, it is important that you look to the future and make sure you plan to insulate yourself from as much obsolescence as possible. Get a unit that provides for as much upgrade and expansion as possible, so your system serves you for the greatest length of time.  

       Online, you can also access http://www.thelist.internet.com. This is the definitive buyer's guide to ISP's  everywhere. You can find providers, broken down by country, area code, speed access, computing services, etc. In many cases you can access the provider at their home page. It will instruct you how to get signed up with them and institute your service online, or, additionally, with some simple telephone directive from them.  

        Ideally you want to have a connection service who can provide you with the most value for your dollars. You can expect to pay about $20 a month for the connection, maybe a few dollars less. If you want lots of bells and whistles, particularly some of the marketing tools and devices such as autoresponders (a electronic device for triggering an immediate response, desired effect, or in many cases, information, by requesting that response with a keystroke, click-thru or e-mail request), etc. you will probably pay a bit more.  

       If you deal with a local provider, you may get more local, personal, 'get to know you' service. In working with a larger, national ISP, you may get the benefits of all the things that a large, national/international organization generally offers. In either event make sure your service offers 24-hour online service, or a live person to walk you through the anxious moments when you need someone there to help you through a challenge.  

       Oftentimes your ISP, whether local or national, will provide you with one of the half dozen or so popular  web browsers (software frameworks for navigating the Internet) as part of your sign-up program. If you are just buying a new machine, most system packages sold nowadays include several browsers, the most popular which include one or more of Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Network, Internet Explorer, etc. Absent that, go to http://www.netscape.com and download yourself a copy. The instructions to download  (copy a file from an external source to your computer) are pretty easy.  

       You will need to make sure that you have a telephone line that is not subject to traffic that is external to your online communication. If you've got lots of basic phone traffic, or a teenager in the house who is prone (and which ones aren't) to use the family phone line, then you will need a dedicated phone line (a line used only for or dedicated to your computer), without getting bumped or suffering the wrath of an angry family member.  

       Generally the gateways (or huge online services such as America Online (AOL), Compuserve, Prodigy and the like),  are not well suited for a steady diet of Internet commerce, unless YOU  want to continually be sold something, either through excessive spamming (indiscriminate and non solicited e-mail) or a plethora of commercial banners (sales signs on a site), solicitations and  notices. These areas of the web are great for chat rooms (places where the general public or those sharing a common interest), but they are really not the place to cultivate your online business.  

       Once you are properly connected and have a browser, we can begin to look ahead at the thoughts of your product or service on the World Wide Web, as it's often called.  In case you have ever wondered, this term comes from the awesome  'web' that is created by the limitless series of hyper linked pages, which, when combined, from the vast network we know as the World Wide Web. A hyper link is device that links information together. By pointing to key words in a sentence and selecting those key words, the link is activated, and automatically takes you or links you to another commonly associated element of that information, topic, or idea.  

       Hypertext is the technique or method for making active the linkage (text, banner, illustration or other linking device), and thereby taking you to the associated page, site, or document.  

       One of the biggest challenges I experienced is what I would sell on the Internet. I needed a product. I really didn't want to sell sportswear per se, as I was looking for other areas to explore, and different items to sell.  I surmised that, given the staggering number of people projected to explode onto the web in the next few years, that many were faced with the same learning curve that I have faced over the last nine months, 'How do I learn about, set up, promote, and sell through an online business?"   
  
       Coupling this obvious need for convenient, accessible learning devices, with my desire to write, create, publish, (in many ways disseminate information as an INFOPRENEUR (one who sells information), I decided to compile all the data, the sites, the contacts, and the information that I had gathered, and package it into our website, INFOnet1. One of the great things about our website and your association with it, is that you too can benefit from all that I've learned, documented, and offer to you in our exciting  INFOnet1 RESELLER PROGRAMS.  Take a minute to Check em out!  

       We offer you, and encourage you to take a close look at this comprehensive turnkey package which provides you with an instant Internet business of your own, all  for under $100. We feel it is the best Information/report reselling program on the market. Look at all it has to offer.  

        It is important to define what product you are selling FIRST, before you can begin any aspect of the sales and marketing experience. It is the starting point for all else! Once you have figured out what you are selling, then we can begin the whole process of sales and marketing.  

       If you are going to have an Internet storefront, or an electronic place where people come to visit or patronize your business, you need a location, address, or URL, the acronym for universal resource locator. This allows anyone one with an online hookup to locate your resource (site) anywhere in the cyber universe.  You can have a single page, but a multi-page commercial website is a necessity for a fully functional storefront.  

       As a point of prudent internet marketing, your URL, (domain) or site address should to the greatest degree be indicative of what you are selling or doing. The name you choose should be as simple and easy to remember as possible, an hopefully attach some verbal similarity when you think of or mention a certain product.  It is only common sense.  

       How do you obtain a URL 'address'? There a number of agencies which will do a quick lookup or search for a site name for you. Many ISP's will provide the service of researching your proposed name and registering that name with InterNIC, the online directory and database resource which keeps track of the guzillions of domain names and addresses present on the Internet.  

       InterNIC provides an immediate online domain (address or URL) search and registration service. Through these highly automated electronic services you can have your name registered and confirmed almost immediately.  

       Full gamut website hosting services will also allow you a one stop shop should you prefer. On our home page we have provided several web designers with whom we are comfortable. Each one is competent, reasonably priced, very accessibe, and is able to work with a newbie (online newcomer) without making them feel stupid about their knowledge level.  

       In addition, we have recommended a full service website hosting service in Virtualis Systems. Web hosting may sound tricky, but simply put, it is that company or group which maintains the server which presents and serves up your website to anyone wishing to access it by typing in your web address  (domain or url) and visiting your site. Virtualis has a menu driven (select and click) site which will allow you to select the level of web hosting you feel you need. It outlines prices and services, and it is always expandable. And importantly, they have 24 hour online technical service. I have found that they have a large foundation, and are very professional at what they do. After having visited their site, if you have any questions, e-mail them at support@virtualis.com, or call 1-888-SITE4YOU, and ask for Senyo.  

        Once you have moved from the concept to the actual site launch, then the real work and most of the FUN begins! Many people have had the mistaken notion that, once you put up your storefront on the Internet, that, given the millions of people on the Internet all over the world, that the business begins to flow.  

       Well, in actuality, a website and online domain can be equated to a 'license to hunt,' and that's all! Without the proper, consistently planned and executed design and strategies, your website will remain a meaningless bunch of electronic html files (the code and files comprising websites functioning and their interrelation), stored away in someone's computer, somewhere!!!!!!! And the chances on anyone tripping across it, let alone buying anything, will remain about as remote as those files, in that computer, somewhere in cyberspace (the collective memory and files of all the computers, everywhere)!!!  

       This is the point where you must construct your plan to market and promote your website. We've got to have a plan to tell people about it. Let them know it exists. Give them a reason to visit it. Give them an even better reason to actually buy something as they visit, and make it a compelling enough place for them to bookmark the site on their browser and make them want to come back again!!!.  

      We all know that there is an 80-20 rule that pertains to almost anything in life. Properly applied in this case, 80% of the traffic will be pulled from 20% of the sites. As another service, we have done a lot of research here for you and defined the TOP 50 FREE CLASSIFIED SITES . This is a SUPER MARKETING  TOOL, and is worth many times the $19.95 it costs for the list and domain addresses.  

       I encourage you to make this small investment from my good friend Tom Willingham, who incidentally constructed our website, was indeed a pleasure to work with on the project, and is available as one of our website designers.  

       Another great set of tools which announce to the online press and web wide news services,  organizations, agencies, writers, etc., that YOUR SITE EXISTS, and WHERE, are the PRESS SERVICES at INFOnet1. Our strategic affiliation with INTERNETWIRE  enable us to  distribute worldwide to some 5,000+ daily and national newspapers, premier technology and business periodicals, TV, radio, industry news and user groups (user or newsgroups, comprise the Usenet), opt-in user lists (user has option and chooses to be on an e-mail list) and other means of dissemination. We are able to write and distribute your press release, or you can provide us with a release prepared by you, if you have the comfort level and experience to do so yourself.  

 In summary, in these few pages, we have begun acquainting you, as an online newcomer, with our site and its resources. Within INFOnet1, we offer you, packaged into this one comprehensive site (with our affiliates), the means to traverse the Internet Marketing and Sales Curve at a very rapid pace, with some excellent expertise and resources to propel you along.  We will continue to add to this report and our site as it is appropriate and makes sense.  

 THANK YOU for exploring the rest of our site, the products we offer,  book marking us for future and constructive online learning, and, if you wish, providing us with  your valuable input.  
 Smooth sailing!!!