Web Sites for Beginners

There are several family members clamoring for their own web sites. They already have tried MySpace pages and want to move up to something more sophisticated. They also want more control over the way the pages are laid out. So I’m trying to start them own the right path for finding the basic information they need and a few of the better resources they can use.

First, they have to buy the domain name that they want to use. There are so many domain names already registered that it is getting harder by the day to find an available dot com for the preferred names.

Second, they need to design the web page. There are lots of ways to get this done and I will be working on a list of resources for them that are free or low cost. Some web sites are dedicated to blogs and others are more complex, with submission forms, multiple pages, and extras like photo albums, music downloads, community calendars and other great features and tools.

Third, they will need web hosting. The domain they buy has to be assigned to a host for other people to be able to find it and to see it on the internet. There are thousands of hosting options and types. For the beginner, it is probably best to start out with the free or low cost hosting plans from a reliable hosting company.

I found a nice little directory online that lists the top 10 hosting sites. The list includes basic information on each hosting company, such as set up cost, monthly fee and how much disk space you are allowed to use. Once you’ve decided upon your web hosting choice you can open an account and arrange to transfer your domain name to that site. Then you upload your web design or template and finish writing the content that you want everyone to read.

That’s really all there is to it. I’m sure we are coming to the age of internet use that will see everyone having several personal and business websites, almost like high tech business cards or calling cards. This is the part of technology that I love and it keeps getting more affordable and easier for beginners to use.

Who You Gonna Call?

Working as a reporter years ago, I covered a lot of courtroom dramas and I can tell you the most important thing I learned from all those days of sitting in court taking notes: do not EVER go to court without the best lawyer you can find.

I saw identical “crimes” presented in the same courtroom to the same judge and honest to GOD, the cases where the defendant represented themselves or waived the right to an attorney ALWAYS got a worse outcome than those who came with a lawyer - even with the exact same excuse, I mean, defense. And in most cases, those with a lawyer had the benefit of back room dealmaking so that all the judge had to do was bless the agreement between the D.A. and the defense attorney. Those without a deal got the shaft after their case was heard.

If I was in trouble in Los Angeles, the best defense attorneys are with the law firm called KEG, “Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin.” These guys are the top in their field, and it’s not just me saying so - check out their standing with Martindale-Hubbell - the best reference for attorneys nationwide. This law firm is in the top 5% in the entire country. The word for that is, “pre-eminent.”

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyers | Southern California Criminal Attorneys

Alan Eisner

If you just want to read up on legal opinions and their take on legal cases in the news, check out their blog. It is written in plain everyday English and very readable and it’s always on something interesting, like illegal immigrants, privacy rights on text messaging, new internet crime statutes and medical marijuana legislation.

Criminal Minds Fan

Found a cool website today for fans of the TV series called, “Criminal Minds.” Well, it’s actually a blog - so that’s even better: Criminal Minds Fanatic.

I really like this show for the insights on criminal psychology and the way a team of experts from diverse backgrounds can come together and find a way to work as a team under tremendous pressure to solve the crimes.

The show is a little gory and gruesome, but if you can get past that it is a great psychological thriller reduced down to an hour show. Take out all the time for commercials and I think you have about 44 minutes of actual show.

The fan site has a lot of behind the scenes info and communicates fairly regularly with the actors, writers and production staff.

A Marketing Career

Years ago I wanted to get into “Sales and Marketing” primarily because I felt that the opportunities to earn what you truly deserve are more prevalent in sales positions than in traditional corporate management positions. Plus, sales is very optimistic, upbeat, forward thinking and you when you make a sale it is reason to celebrate your accomplishment. In corporate management, it is a lot of negativity, screwing people over and self serving. The only real reason a CEO has to celebrate is receipt of a fat bonus check earned off the sweat and sacrifice of all the worker bees.

In the early days when i was exploring the sales and marketing route, I asked a lot of my contemporaries, including other successful sale people and vendors, “What is the difference between “sales” and “marketing”? None of them gave me a good answer. It was only on my own exploration of the sales process and corporate structures that I discovered and embraced marketing. Over the years I’ve mastered quite a bit of the marketing principles and techniques in a variety of corporate settings. Now I am ready to step into the new millenium and learn more about internet marketing and search engine optimization.

Obviously I will make use of the internet for a lot of this effort. I have found some good articles about search engine optimization and internet marketing. One interesting aspect of the new marketing is that most of the traditional marketing logic does not apply. You have to shift mental gears into “geek think” instead of what works in the real world, because often they are very different and mistakes on your website can prove very costly and difficult to correct or overcome.

If you don’t have the time, energy and resources to learn all the search engine optimization techniques, hiring a consultant will at least get you started in the right direction. Many successful Search Engine Optimization consultants are very willing to share what they know and make the effort to communicate the internet marketing process into plain English instead of lots of geek speak mumbo jumbo. For example, take a look at some of the blogs on their sites. This is where the actual people you’ll be working with or learning from have the opportunity to express themselves in their own words - not the professional copywriter’s ad-speak.

Ross Perot is Charting Again

Remember Ross Perot? Rich guy from Texas, ran for president, made a lot of noise. A lot of what he says makes sense, and when a millionaire - or more likely billionaire - is willing to talk about money and share his insights, maybe the rest of us peasants should listen to him and take his advice. He is a powerful and persuasive speaker and is notorious for using lots of charts to illustrate his points.

Perot has launched a website called www.perotcharts.com that has . . . you guessed it! Charts.

He’s trying to help America manage it’s money and its debt. Check it out.