Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
June 2005, Volume 3 Issue 5
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* A Note from Will
* More Thoughts Website First Impressions
* Our Sponsor - TownLink
* Five Fast Ways to Determine One Hosting Company from Another
* Whitepapers for Web Designers and Developers
* 3 Ways to Build Your Web Traffic Quickly
--------------------

A Note from Will

"Build it, and they will come" is a famous line from the great
baseball movie Field of Dreams.  In the movie,  a man builds a
baseball field in the middle of a corn field, in an attempt to get
great baseball players from the past to come play ball there.

Unfortunately the web isn't always like Hollywood.  Build a website,
and they still won't come.  They don't just come.  Someone needs to
tell them to come!

In this newsletter, I've provided a few articles on getting people
to your website. Both retail or informational websites, as well as
web developers should find this information helpful.

If you like what you see, let me know, or send it to a friend!
- Will
--------------------

More Thoughts on Website First Impressions

In last months newsletter we touched on some website first
impressions.  As a designer, I'm somewhat obsessed with nice
layouts, LOTS of information, and LOTS of links.

But LOTS isn't also right.  Designers, marketing folks, and sales
managers all look at the website from a slightly different point of
view - none of which are the right view - your customers!

While we focus on getting a lot of content on the home page, we
forget that our user, our customer, isn't interested in investing a
lot of time on your website.  They are there to learn, ingest some
information, and go on.  They scan for something that looks remotely
related to what they want, click it, and if they don't find it, back
to Google they go.

Taking some time to think about the key areas of your website, and
perhaps providing those links across the top or a sidebar is a great
way to help your potential customer
http://www.techlh.com/contactus.htm
--------------------

Sponsor - Michael Webb

According to Michael Webb, 67% of relationships STINK- but you can
have a fantastic one! Michael, a relationship expert, is now
offering over $1400 of his most popular best-sellers for less than
$70!

Get these books now - http://www.techlh.com/deals/mw.php
--------------------

Five Fast Ways to Determine One Hosting Company from Another
by Will Hanke - Lighthouse Technologies (www.techlh.com)

These days, web hosting companies are popping up faster than
dandelions.  And just like those pesky weeds, they usually aren't
going to benefit your business at all.  So how do you pick out one
hosting company for another for that big Internet move?  Below I've
provided you some quick ways to sift out the sheep from the wolves.

1. Traceable Testimonies - Many web hosting companies provide a
testimony page.  Good web hosting companies will actually link to
the person who `said' what is posted.  If there is no link, it is
possible that the hosting company simply made up the testimony.  You
don't want to be involved with a company with questionable integrity.

2. Testing Quick Response Claims - Testing out the response of a web
hosting company is easy: email them.  They should provide an email
address or at least a feedback form.  Ask a simple question about
their service, and see how fast they respond.  Compare that with
what they have `advertised' as their response time.  See how they
measure up.

3. Online Help or Ticketing System - Some hosting companies may even
offer and online ticketing/helpdesk.  While you may have to be a
customer to actually use it, just the fact that it is available is a
good sign.

4. Sense of Community – Good web hosts still have problems.  Honest
web hosts will be open and (of course) quick to resolve them.  Many
hosting companies now offer online forums – a place for their
customers and potential customers to post questions, comments,
testimonies, and complaints online.  Really good hosting companies
will not only answer these questions, but they'll supply educational
posts that may answer similar future questions.

5. WHOIS – Taking a quick visit over to www.whois.sc will reveal a
lot of information about your web host.  Besides giving you some
technical information, you'll also find out just how many websites
are running on that server.  Remember, more websites doesn't always
equal better company.  You certainly want to make sure the server
isn't bogged down!

This is a good place to also make sure that the host isn't on any
blacklists.  Blacklists usually mean that there are documented
reports of spam coming FROM that server, and that's not good at all!

Whether you are a first-time hosting purchaser or a hosting refugee
(that's what I call those people who bought hosting from a fly-by-
night hosting company, and their website is now AWOL), I hope that
these tips will help you save some future headaches and maybe even a
little money, too.
--------------------

Whitepapers for Web Designers and Developers

The staff at Lighthouse Technologies have developed a few good
whitepapers on various aspects of owning and running a successful
web design and hosting company.  A few of these papers are available
to other web designers - with full reprint rights - for under $10.00!

http://techlh.com/webdesigners/whitepapers.htm
--------------------

3 Ways to Build Your Web Traffic Quickly
It's a common story. Someone builds a great site, populates it with
lots of fantastic content and beautiful graphics. They spend weeks
or month making sure everything is perfect before the big launch day
arrives. Then in the hours, days and weeks after the upload, a few
people trickle in but nothing really explosive. What happened? How
can such a great site not naturally take the internet community by
storm? Simple – the marketing of the site was not planned (and often
not even thought about!).

If this is happening to you then don't panic! There are a few ways
to kick-start your traffic and get some meaningful visitors. Done in
combination with a long term marketing strategy, they can help grow
your list of visitors and more importantly keep them. Here are a few
of the immediate steps that can be taken:

Buy Traffic – This is probably the easiest and a very cheap way to
go. The way it works is that companies purchase expired domain names
and redirect the traffic straight to your site. Other companies
operate pop-up or pop-under technology that displays the website you
want visited. Often you can start seeing results from this in 48
hours and many thousands of visitors can be had for only a few
dollars outlay. Beware! This can really send your stats through the
roof and is very easy, but there are pitfalls. Untargeted traffic is
quite low quality unless you have something truly great to show a
general audience. In most case you are far better off purchasing
targeted hits to your site's area of interest. It is only logical
that a travel site would want people looking for travel information!
It is worth spending a few extra dollars.

Post on POPULAR, ESTABLISHED Forums – Do some research and find out
what are the most popular forums in your area. I am talking about
forums with at least 1000 members and preferably many more. Beware
of forums that reward people for posting as they may indeed have
many members, but few of them post more than once or twice and even
fewer read other people's posts. (You want forums with many more
posts than members – this indicates that members actively return,
read and post at the forum). Most forum moderators have no problems
with users having a "signature" at the end of their posts. This is
where you can list your website URL. DO NOT SPAM people's boards
with commercial messages. Post helpful or interesting topics and
respond to other people's queries. Posting solely to advertise your
site will get you banned from most forums. This technique can be
worth many thousands of visitors to your site quite quickly if done
properly.

Yahoo! Listing – It's the most popular site on the internet and it's
where many companies go to get listed. It's also responsible for
about 50% of all internet searches. You can get your site reviewed
quickly for about $200 (though they do not guarantee to list
everything so make sure your page looks professional and has good
content. Even then it is still a gamble). It is expensive but your
site WILL get seen by a lot of people if you get a listing with
Yahoo! One good tip is to try to title your site with a letter
towards the beginning of the alphabet as the listings go in
alphabetical order. That way you will be in front of your
competitors.

These techniques can have a very fast effect on your website
traffic. The first two should send your stats up within a few days
and combined with the Yahoo listing, see them stay high. It's a lot
of work, and maybe a little cash, but these three techniques
combined can have your site getting thousands or even tens of
thousands of visitors per month.

Rob Wood
Lot's Of Clicks
Website Traffic Generation – Fast!
http://www.lotsofclicks.com
--------------------

That's it, folks. I hope you've learned something, and that you'll
pass this newsletter on to friends and business partners that it
would help.

Have a great day, and enjoy the warmer weather!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
April 2005, Volume 3 Issue 4
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* A Note from Will
* More Thoughts on Setting up a 'Quick Website' for a Non-Profit
* Our Sponsor - Michael Webb
* Spring Cleaning
* Partnering with Complimentary Businesses
* Website First Impressions
--------------------

A Note from Will

While the people in Denver may still have winter on their minds,
most of the US now thinks about flowers and grass cutting.

As the weather gets warmer and the birds begin to sing, the windows
start to open and we are again reminded that it's time to clean out
all the wintry dust that has settled in our house.

The same is true for my business. That's right, spring cleaning is
here in full force, and you get to benefit from it!  We've got tons
of stuff on sale through May, and I'd hope you'd take advantage of
these awesome discounts while they last.

Also in the newsletter today is an short article on how to partner
with businesses that can increase your visibility and sales, and
then a great article on website first impressions.

I've packed a lot of good information into this newsletter, if you
like what you see, let me know, or send it to a friend!
- Will
--------------------

More Thoughts on Building a Quick Website for a Non-Profit

Last newsletter I mentioned several CMS programs that help any web
designer get a website up and running in no time.  What I failed to
mention, is that there is (of course) a downside to doing this.

While the sites go up quick, and your client will be happy, you need
to keep in mind that the CMS program that you've installed very
likely has a few 'glitches' and security holes in it.

Thank goodness that thousands of other people are using the same
software, and patches for these glitches and holes are available
rather quickly after they are discovered.  That's where you come in.

If you create a website for someone that is based on Xoops, Post
Nuke, or any other CMS program, you owe it to your client (and your
web host!) to keep these programs patched.

All CMS programs have a home-website where you can download the
latest patches and upgrades.  Most also have a mailing list that
alerts you when new files are available.

If you've installed a CMS program, and you are being plagued by
problems, let Lighthouse Technologies help you out.  We can install
patches or other upgrades that you may need.

http://www.techlh.com/contactus.htm
--------------------

Sponsor - Michael Webb

According to Michael Webb, 67% of relationships STINK- but you can
have a fantastic one! Michael, a relationship expert, is now
offering over $1400 of his most popular best-sellers for less than
$70!

Get these books now - http://www.techlh.com/deals/mw.php
--------------------

Spring Cleaning

This is definitely the biggest sale I've had in years.  Take
advantage of these discounts from now to May 15th.

Domain names - ALL .com, .net, .org, and .biz names are $10.00 off!
Townlink Software - $100 off!
Reseller Hosting packages - now 40% off your first YEAR!
Business Hosting packages - ALL are now 25% off your first YEAR!

To immediately save, visit
http://techlh.com/springcleaning.htm
--------------------

Partnering with Complimentary Businesses

I've touched on this before, so I won't make this long.

Have you ever thought about partnering with local businesses that
compliment your business?  Are there businesses you frequent that
would help promote your business?

If you own a bridal dress store, for example, you could ask a few
different businesses to promote yours.  How?  Easy.  Flyers is one
way.  The flower shop where the brides pick out their bouquets would
probably refer business to you if you'd do the same in return.  So
would the local DJ service, and the bakery where the cakes are done.

All of these businesses compliment yours, without being a
competitor.  Those are the kinds of businesses you should get with.

On your flyer, promote your services, upcoming sales, and website.
If you don't have a website, you need one!  Contact us today about
getting your business online, and get a FREE Web Buyer's Guide that
will explain all about expanding your business online!
--------------------

Website First Impressions
Think of the people who visit your site as blind dates. When you
open the door, your blind date usually knows whether they are
attracted to you within the first minute. How do they know? Easy. By
how you look, what you say, and how you treat them. If you open the
door wearing the same clothes you wore in 1987, say, "Wow, from my
friend's description, I thought you would be a lot better looking,"
and sneeze in your dates face, not only will you never get a second
date, your date will run for his/her life.

The same rules apply to your website. When people do a search for
something they want to buy, they usually have many sites to choose
from. If yours does not impress them right off the bat, it takes
about five seconds for them to find another that does show them what
they want to see. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. You are
just one among many.

So what do people want to see, you ask? There are 3 standards of
website excellence, and they are the same standards you would use to
judge your blind date:

1. How it looks:
If I visit two different websites with the purpose of buying
something, and those two websites sold the exact same product at the
exact same price, I would buy from the site that looked better--the
one whose design made me think, "Wow, these guys must be making good
money if they can afford to hire a good graphic designer." The more
money I think the business makes, the more I will identify them with
value and professionalism.

The bottom line is, you need to make web design a priority. There
are plenty of people out there who have graphic designer friends
willing to design their website for next to nothing. Those people
have the advantage because, even if they aren't the superior
business, visitors will perceive them to be superior.

If you don't have any connections with graphic designers willing to
do you a favor, see if you can find a starving artist willing to
design the layout of your site. If anyone has an eye for aesthetics
and is willing to work cheap, it's a starving artist. Once you know
what your site should look like, either you or a web designer can
bring the artist's vision to life.

Take the time to design something that represents your business or
product well. Don't just throw up a website with gaudy wallpaper,
out of focus pictures and graphics placed at random. Remember that
first moment when you open the door to a blind date. Remember how
much appearances count for in this world.

2. What you say:
You want the person who visits your site to know instantly what
you're selling and why they should buy from you. Visual
representation has a lot to do with this, but you need to watch what
you say as well. You must be clear, concise and focused. Don't make
the visitor decipher a cryptic headline full of spelling and grammar
errors. Include headlines that shout to the reader exactly what you
want them to hear.

Go over your copy a hundred times if you must, or have a proofreader
edit your copy. You must be sure that a potential customer won't get
lost in a stream of consciousness narrative about your product or
company, and come out saying, "What was that all about?"

Above all, think carefully about the colors you use for your font.
Make sure there is plenty of contrast between the background and the
font color. Never put a yellow font on an orange background. Also,
be careful with white fonts on black backgrounds. If the letters are
large, they will be easy enough to read, but if they are 14 point or
smaller, your visitor won't even bother with the copy. No matter
what colors you use, always make your font large enough. If people
have to squint to read your copy, it is too small.

3. How you treat them:
It is socially acceptable for a woman to keep her date waiting,
letting him know that she doesn't consider him a priority. However,
it is not acceptable for your site to keep a visitor waiting. If
your site takes too long to load, the visitor will simply find
another site.

Do what you can to ensure that your site will download quickly. One
easy thing to remember is that, if you have too much content on a
page, it's going to take a long time to load. Also, if you are on a
free server, and you are sharing a port with others, your loading
time will be lengthy. More specifically, if you have images that are
uncompressed, they could be at 70k or 80k, as opposed to compressed
images that look almost identical and load at a preferable rate of
5k or 10k.

Author Sam Serio, himself an Internet Marketer, offers information
and marketing resources to small businesses and individuals who want
to make their web sites more profitable. He is currently offering a
Free 7-lesson mini-course entitled "Climbing the Ladder of Internet
Success". For more information please visit
www.morninglightmarketing.com or email samserio@...
--------------------

That's it, folks.  I hope you've learned something, and that you'll
pass this newsletter on to friends and business partners that it
would help.

Have a great day, and enjoy the warmer weather!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
February 2005, Volume 3, Issue 3
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* A Note from Will
* More Thoughts on Building Your Community
* Our Sponsor - Michael Webb
* Selling Maintenance Agreements to Clients
* Setting up a 'Quick Website' for a Non-Profit
--------------------

A Note from Will

The last newsletter focused heavily on helping out your local
community.  I've received a lot of feedback, all positive about the
articles, tips, and services that I provide.  The e-books continue
to help web designers promote their business in a more professional
way.  If you haven't purchased any of them, I encourage you to do so
now!

This month I'm going to tell you a little bit about another way to
help promote your community, and in a round-about way increase your
revenues and exposure at the same time.  Then I'll tell you how to
get a quick website up and running for your favorite non-profit in
no time.

As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to pass this on to your
friends!
--------------------

More Thoughts on Building Your Community

Along with all the great ways I mentioned last month about building
community websites, I neglected to mention a great way to bring
residents together: a forum.

Forums are websites that allow people to post their thoughts and
comments in an open area, and conversations are 'carried on' with
other members.

Forums (such as ArnoldTalk.com where I live) are great ways for
politicians to express their views and goals for the community, as
well as defend their reputations!

Many businesses will use these forums to promote their upcoming
sales, and that's where you come in.  As the site gains popularity,
you can start to sell advertisements on the website.

Residents can use the forum to express dissatisfaction about a
recent event, tell everyone about their son overseas, or talk about
construction in town.

Whatever the reason that they visit, its all good for you and your
business.  Put your ads out there, and promote the site through
cheap and free venues.  You are, afterall, providing a great service
to your community!

Lighthouse Technologies can set up a forum website for you - just
ask us!
--------------------

Sponsor - Michael Webb

According to Michael Webb, 67% of relationships STINK- but you can
have a fantastic one!  Michael, a relationship expert, is now
offering over $1400 of his most popular best-sellers for less than
$70!

Get these books now - http://www.techlh.com/deals/mw.php
--------------------

Selling Maintenance Agreements to Clients

Maintenance agreements are great tools for your clients.  They offer
discounted rates on services you may already be offering, or thethey
help you gain new customers that are attracted to the reduced
pricing.

Usually, maintenance agreements for websites are broken down into
hours.  If a customer contacts you regularly with work, say two
hours a month or so, you should consider offering them a one-time
payment of 24 hours, to be distributed how they see.  You get your
money right away, instead of over time, and they are free to use
your services without receiving and paying monthly invoices.

Of course, you need to make sure you stay up with your end of the
bargain and provide the wonderful service you are already providing!

Don't forget to ask these clients to mention your business to their
clients!

To see the maintenance packages that Lighthouse Technologies offers,
go to http://www.techlh.com/maintenance.htm
--------------------

Setting up a 'Quick Website' for a Non-Profit

Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of an organization that
needs a website, but doesn't have much money to invest.  Examples of
this could be a local Jaycees Chapter, Cub Scout Pack, or Church.

These non-profit groups could benefit from a website, but you don't
have the time and energy to keep the site updated.  That's where CMS
programs come in.

Content Management Systems (CMS) are great.  Examples of them
include PostNuke, PHPNuke, and my favorite - XOOPS.

These software packages come free with many hosting companies
(including TECHLH.com) and are fairly simple to set up.  The good
thing is, once they're set up, administration of the sites is very
minimal.  If the non-profit has a fairly tech-savvy person at it,
you could even create an admin or moderator group and let them
update everything themselves!

Of course, these websites aren't free.  Even if you build the site
for free, use the free software, and maintain the site for free,
there are still some minor costs.  These include domain registration
and hosting.  Make sure you take that into consideration when
offering to do a website for a non-profit!

Lighthouse Technologies has set up many CMS sites for non-profits.
To find out how we can get one going for you, just contact us at
sales@...
--------------------

Provide your customers with great information before they decide on
engaging your business with our professionally written e-books.  Buy
all three and save a bundle!

http://techlh.com/docs/whitepapers.htm

--------------------
As always, thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
February, 2005 Volume 3, Issue 2
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* A Note from Will
* Tips for Beginning Programmers
* Our Sponsor - TownLink Software
* Cheating the System with Templates
* Providing the Client with Great Information
* Building Your Community
--------------------

A Note from Will
This newsletter is all about helping out beginners, whether they're
building their first website or their fifth, and getting them off to
a great start.  Many people on the Internet consider themselves 'web
designers' but not many of those same people could get a 'paying
job' as a web designer!  This issue will help you go from volunteer,
part-time web designer to full-time web guru!  (Ok, that may be a
stretch, but I'll get you pointed in the right direction!)

As always, thanks for reading - and please enjoy!
--------------------

Tips for Beginning Programmers
Most people that design web pages use automated programs, which in
the web design world we call WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)
Editors.  These editors are great for beginners, and have improved
dramatically over the last few years.  After a small learning curve,
anyone that can click a mouse can create, edit, and publish a
website.  Little do they realize that in the 'background', the
editor is actually doing the programming.  These people are
programmers, and they probably don't even know it.

So, programmers, how can you get started, and land that first paying
gig?  Well, it may take a while, and it will most definitely take a
decent amount of donated time, but you can do it.

First off, start looking at the code that your WYSIWYG editor is
creating.  Somewhere on that editor there's a button that lets you
look at the actual HTML code that it has built.  Read up on HTML
code and learn it.  If you dare, build a website from scratch with
only HTML!  I highly recommend it.  Then you're ready to work
towards that paying gig.

An obvious place to start is to offer a local church, organization,
or other group a discounted or free website design.  It is advised
that you either belong to the group, or know someone in that group.
Just calling up a non-profit may not work, as they have no idea
whoyou are, nor do they know the motives behind your offer.  Also,
be careful and up-front with them, though, because once these
organizations know you're serious, they can overload you with work
quickly!

Another great way to get going is to build a community website.  Add
links to other companies in the area, link to local government and
emergency phone numbers.  If you're up for it, start a town forum
and advertise it in local grocery stores.  Adding links to local
businesses will draw customers to you, and you could even sell ad
space on to make some revenue back.

Keep reading for ways to hook that first paying customer!
--------------------

Sponsor - TownLink Software
TownLink is a full-package 'website in a box'.  The software allows
you to have a community website up and running in no time at all.
Purchase TownLink from now through the end of February and get an
amazing $50 off!

Visit YourTownLink.com to take advantage of this special.
--------------------

Cheating the System With Templates
Are you suffering from "Web Designer's Block"?  Can't seem to get a
design together for that new customer?  Have I got a solution for
you!  Go to Google, and type in "Free Web Design Templates".  For
even better results, add the name of your editor software, if you're
using one.  You'll be surprised at how many free and cheap templates
there are available!

Downloading a template is pretty simple.  Integrating it with your
editor is simple, too.  Half the work (or more) is already done!

Now, of course, if your customer is paying, you may want to be a bit
more selective with your choice.  You don't want them to have the
same site that a few hundred others are using as well.  But for most
low or no-paying jobs, a template can help you impress the client,
as well as not spend a bunch of time on their site.  Even paying a
nominal fee for a template download will help get your portfolio off
to a good-looking start!

Want to see some templates that Lighthouse Technologies used to sell?
http://www.techlh.com/templates
--------------------

Providing Your Clients with Great Information
Anytime I get a new client, warm lead, or other contact from a
potential client, I immediately send them off one of my
professionally-created business kits.  This kit has a TON of
information in it, including a personalized welcome letter, a web
worksheet, a list of popular Internet terms, and even a sample
pricing sheet.

This business package sends an immediate message that I have
my 'stuff' together, and that I'm ready to help out my customer by
providing lots of information that will help them make an educated
decision.

Several portions of the business package that I send out are
available for download. These papers come with full reprint-rights;
you can print them as many times as you'd like and hand them out
over and over again.

Impress your customers -
http://techlh.com/webdesigners/whitepapers.htm
--------------------

Building Your Community
I've already touched on this subject above, but I wanted to go into
a little more explanation on how something this simple can get you
more clients that you've ever expected.

Many web designers start out this way, because it helps their area,
get's them publicity, and in turn brings the customers to them.

A community website that lists important phone numbers, local
business websites, and school information is a great resource.
Combined with specific keywords, this can be your best advertising
tool you have.

Think about it.  You create a community website, then start adding
businesses.  You start calling these businesses to offer them a FREE
link to their website from the community website.  They may tell you
that they don't currently have a website.  Perfect!  Tell them
(quickly) about your business, then follow up with a business
package in the mail to the owner/manager.

Taking that a step furthur, you could even offer then a FREE or
discounted one-page website off of your community site.  This page
should be very generic, low (or no) graphics.  The idea is to give
them something that they can see, and something that leaves them
wanting a more 'personalized' site.

Another idea, or addition, is to create a town forum website.  This
one may take a little promoting, but combined with your community
site, you can have it running in no time.

If you are interested in setting up a community site, or strictly a
forum website, contact us (sales@...) for ideas and rates -
we'll be glad to help!

Lastly, our Sponsor, TownLink (www.YourTownLink.com) is a great tool
to get your community website launched in no time.  TownLink
provides everything, from the hosting to the maintenance.  Upgrades
are free with purchase for a year, and you can even have a forum
installed for a few dollars more.  During the rest of February,
TownLink is offering their software, installation, and forum combo
for the unheard of price of $299.00 (regularly $349).  This will get
your entire turn-key site up and running in about 48 hours.  This
sale only lasts the next twelve days, so take advantage of it while
its available!
--------------------

As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
January, 2005 Issue 1
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* What is a Hosting Reseller?
* TownLink Software
* Maintenance Agreements
* Taking Online Payments
* Offering Whitepapers to Your Customers
* 40 Percent Off
--------------------

2005 - Happy New Year!  With the new year comes a great new
newsletter packed full of information and ideas to help this year be
your best year!

This month I'm tackling *resellers*.  Some of my current customers
may be surprised that they can have more control over their
websites, and at the same time can offer the same services that I
provide to other clients.  Together we can make 2005 our most
profitable yet!
--------------------

What is a Hosting Reseller?

A hosting reseller is just as it sounds, a person or company that
resells website hosting to other people/businesses.  These services
help many web designers make a bit more profit, or offer added value
services to their clients.  If you are currently designing websites
or if you have more than one website, you should consider reseller
hosting!  Your websites can be hosted for FREE, and new clients will
pay YOU instead of that hosting company!

There are a few criteria that you should consider before signing up
for reseller hosting.

* Do you want to offer this service?  There is a small learning
curve involved.  Some customers won't know anything about hosting,
and others will.  When someone asks a question, you'll need to know
how to answer them.

* Do you have the time to keep customers happy?  Customers with
website issues can get upset in a hurry if their website is down.
You'll need the patience and savvy to get their site back up and
running quickly.

* Can you afford it?  With plans starting at only $17.97/month
during our sale, I doubt this one is an issue!

Learn more about our reseller services:
http://techlh.com/hosting/reseller.htm

Need help?
Lighthouse Technologies offers a 24/7 Helpdesk (techlh.com/helpdesk)
for you to put in your tickets.  We also offer an online forum where
you can ask our community of users (techlh.com/forum).
--------------------

Sponsor
TownLink is our flagship product.  This web package is designed for
someone who would like to make a nice income selling ads for their
local community vendors.  The application comes complete with web
hosting, installation, your own URL, and maintenance.  All you have
to do is sell the ads and make the profit!

For more information on TownLink, see http://www.YourTownLink.com
--------------------

Maintenance Agreements

Sometimes businesses and individuals face times when a web designer
is needed on a short-term contract.  This can be the result of a
lost designer, bad experience with previous company, or any list of
other reasons.  We at Lighthouse Technologies want our current and
potential customers to receive the best quality product that they
can receive, for the most affordable price.

Our professional staff of web designers can update, maintain, or
rebuild your existing website for a fraction of the cost of starting
over.  We also know that a few hours of maintenance may be all you
need.  With that in mind, we've put together a few maintenance
packages that help you budget your upcoming changes, and save money
at the same time.

We also offer programming maintenance, covering such languages as
PHP, Perl, and CGI.  If you have a web-based program that isn't
working, or that you'd like to add more functionality to, talk to us
about it.  We can help.

http://techlh.com/maintenance.htm
--------------------

Taking Online Payments

Many websites claim great profit increases and additional costs, but
in my opinion, taking online payments isn't all its cracked up to
be.  Lighthouse Technologies has been taking payments online for
years through PayPal, and we're very happy with their service.

There's no need to pay a monthly charge to take credit cards.  With
PayPal, you only pay a small fee when someone pays you.  If you
don't get any paypal payments, you pay no fees!

PayPal has made it very easy to accept payments online.  You can
offer one-time payments, shopping carts, and even subscriptions.
You can even customize the payment pages and buttons.

Adding these services to your website is not very costly.  To find
out how to sell your products online, and how to avoid all those
crazy charges that some third-party payment processors charge,
contact us today.  Soon you'll be accepting credit cards, e-checks,
and other payments for your products!
--------------------

Offering Whitepapers to your Customers

I have written several whitepapers and articles that have been
published on Internet sites and newspapers around the country.
These whitepapers range from hosting service term explanations to a
paper on how to transfer from one host to another.

These whitepapers are now available online for purchase.  For web
designers, publishers, and editors, I also offer a reprint-rights
version.  With this, you can publish these articles in your
newsletter or magazine, or just offer these great items to your
customers as another value-added service.

No matter why or how you use these whitepapers, this fact is true:
You'll be a better and wiser hosting customer after you read them.

Read more about our whitepapers at:
http://techlh.com/docs/whitepapers.htm

Want to purchase the reprint rights?  Look at
http://techlh.com/webdesigners/whitepapers.htm
--------------------

40 Percent Off During January

After all this reading about reselling services, we thought this
would be a good time to offer you a great deal on it - 40% off!

Start reselling services for as low as $17.97/month!

To take advantage of this sale, see our home page at
http://www.techlh.com - you can't miss the banner!
--------------------

Thanks for reading,
Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Greetings!  I just wanted to drop a quick note to all of my
wonderful subscribers to wish you a great Holiday Season and
prosperous New Year.

Thank you so much for all of your business, support, and kindness
during this past year.  Lighthouse Technologies customers are the
best!

Click here to see your custom virtual e-card!

http://www.bluemountain.com/view.pd?i=111262723&m=9249&source=bma999

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
November, 2004 Issue 2
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* Odd Timing
* TownLink Still Looking for Beta Test Groups
* Spam-Proof Your Website
* Resell Our Services
* Big Savings Weekend
--------------------

Odd Timing

It's not often that I'd send a newsletter out on a Friday
afternoon.  Most e-zine experts tell business owners to send out
their ezines and newsletters on a Tuesday or Wednesday - a time,
they say, when more people are apt to have a slow-down at work, and
they are more likely to ready your news.

Well, I've never really been one for always following the rules.  So
I'm doing a newsletter on Friday afternoon.  Why?  Well, you'll see
in the article below called "Big Savings Weekend".

Since my next newsletter won't be until December, let me also take
this opportunity to wish you a warm and happy Thanksgiving!
--------------------

Townlink Looking for Beta Test Groups

Our product, TownLink, gives groups and organizations a great way to
increase their bottom line while selling advertisements and growing
their community. Currently, TownLink is looking for five groups
around the country to test our product at a drastically reduced
price.

This offer is open to only the first five groups that contact us,
and it is only available to groups such as the Jaycees, Kiwanis,
Chamber of COmmerce, or others. It is not available at the
discounted rate to individuals at this time. To find out if your
group qualifies for the discount, write to us at sales@...
today.
--------------------

Spam-Proof Your Website

Webmasters suffer more spam than most Web users. But you *can*
escape the spambots! Dan from SitePoint gives us tips and hints that
will help protect your addresses, and your inbox. It's a must-read!

Full article: http://www.sitepoint.com/article/spamproof-site
--------------------

Resell Our Services

Our reseller hosting continues to be our newest and hottest
product/service.  If you have always wanted to have a web hosting
company, or you are tired of passing on your clients to other hosts
when you could be keeping that profit, check out our hosting
reseller services today!

http://www.techlh.com/hosting/reseller.htm
--------------------

Big Savings Weekend

If you are currently looking for web hosting for yourbusiness, or
you are wanting to start another website, you'll be highly
interested in our Pre-Thanksgiving Sale!

We've cut all of our hosting prices and package lengths in half!
Now you can get a business hosting package for as low as $23 for 6
months!

This sale goes from now to Wednesday, November 24th!

http://www.techlh.com/hosting/pre-txg.htm
--------------------

Thanks for reading!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
November, 2004 Issue 1
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* Our Reseller Hosting Service is Popular!
* Townlink Looking for Beta Test Groups
* Color Cheat Sheet
* Eat at Olive Garden - On Us!
* OnLine Support Forum
* Turning a Passion into a Profit
--------------------

Our Reseller Hosting Service is Popular!

On October 1st we introduced our newest service, geared to anyone
who is wanting to earn extra income by reselling webhosting
services.  We were pretty surprised at the amount of people that
were interested!  So much, that we thought we'd better mention it
again in this month's first newsletter.

Hosting, as you know, is required for every single website that
exists.  With more and more people every day getting their
businesses, books, and services online, the time is right to get
into hosting.  What most people don't know, however, is how to get
that hosting, what it does, and where to get it.  That's where you
come in.

For less than $30 a month, you can offer quality web hosting to
potential clients.  Whether you are in web design, law enforcement,
or selling sewing machines, you can make extra income reselling web
hosting.  And the great thing is, with our online support forum,
email access, and instant messaging help, you'll never be at a loss
for customer support!

To find out more about this great offer, look here:
http://techlh.com/hosting/reseller.htm
--------------------

Townlink Looking for Beta Test Groups

Our product, TownLink, gives groups and organizations a great way to
increase their bottom line while selling advertisements and growing
their community.  Currently, TownLink is looking for five groups
around the country to test our product at a drastically reduced
price.

This offer is open to only the first five groups that contact us,
and it is only available to groups such as the Jaycees, Kiwanis,
Chamber of COmmerce, or others.  It is not available at the
discounted rate to individuals at this time.  To find out if your
group qualifies for the discount, write to us at sales@...
today.
--------------------

Color Cheat Sheet

When designing a website, it is suggested that you use the uniformly-
used color specifications.  We've made them easily available for you
at  http://techlh.com/webdesigners/colorchart.htm

Feel free to link to and use this cheat sheet as often as you'd like!
--------------------

Eat at the Olive Garden - On Us!

Lighthouse Technologies has recently revamped our referral program.
If you know of someone who is in need of hosting or web design
services, you can refer them to us, and get a FREE gift certificate
to the Olive Garden or Home Depot!

To find out about our offers, and read all about our  referral
program, look at http://techlh.com/refer.htm
--------------------

OnLine Support Forum

We have recently updated our support forum to bring you the latest
announcements and other Internet programming shortcuts.  If you have
not yet joined our community, we suggest that you do so today!

http://www.techlh.com/forum
--------------------

Turning a Passion into a Profit

Everyone has a passion.  Some have a passion to ride bicycles.
Others like to build motorcycles, and others like to paint pictures.

Dictionary.com defines 'passion' as an ardent love, a strong
desire.  Passion is a synonym of 'zeal'.

Many people believe that websites are supposed to be for businesses,
and simply for the purpose of making money or supplying
informaiton.  What meny fail to realize is that their 'everyday
doings' could be documented online, and that their knowledge is very
valuable.

A gardener that loves petunias could start a website that told of
the different ways to dry seeds, when (and how) to plant seedlings,
the amount of light they need, and explain the amount of sunlight
they need.  On the same page as each of these subjects could be
links to an online shop that sells shovels, moss, and of course
petunia seeds.  The website would already have a target audience,
because the readers would be reading the tips and advice of the
creator.  Integrate third-party solutions such as Google AdWords,
and watch the money grow!

Do you consider yourself an expert on TV reality shows?
Firefighting techniques?  80's music?  Vintage records?  The ideas
are endless.  Providing the world with a website full of *Free*
information about your subject could turn your passion into profit
today!

To see our web design portfolio, and to request a quote for your
passion-website, look at http://techlh.com/portfolio.htm
--------------------

Thanks for reading,

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
October, 2004 Issue 1
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* Resell Web Services
* Netscape's Tenth Birthday
* TownLink (Sponsor)
* Extended (kinda) FREE .info names
* PHP Website Conversions
* Our Product Line
--------------------

Resell Web Services
As we grow, we continue to offer new and exciting products and
services to our customers.  Our new Hosting Reseller Program is our
newest, and you are finding about it first!

Did you know that you can start your own hosting company for under
$30 a month?  That's right.  Ever wanted to own a low-maintenance
business?  Do you have customers that need hosting, and you pass it
onto another company?  Why are you passing up that profit potential
when you tell them that your company handles that as well?

Hosting is a continually growing Internet service.  Nearly every
single website out there is paying for hosting.  With our reseller
services, you can 'get a leg in' and start keeping those profits for
yourself.  There is very little investment, no need to purchase any
expensive hardware, and no long term contracts.

We'll give you freedom to customize your offers, packages, and have
total control.  Most resellers cover their low startup costs in the
first month of business!

Read more or sign up today at
http://www.techlh.com/hosting/reseller.htm
--------------------

Netscape's Tenth Birthday
One of the Internet's earliest browsers has turned ten!

http://news.com.com/A+decade+on+the+Web+with+Netscape/2009-1032_3-
5406640.html
--------------------

Sponsor
Townlink lets you run a community website, meet new merchants, and
keep revenue in your community.

Learn more at http://www.yourtownlink.com

(Sponsor our next newsletter for $10 - write to sales@...)
--------------------

Extended (kinda) FREE .info names
Last week we ended our very popular domain name sale, and due to
popular demand, we will be having another sale from October 22-31st.

Just like the last sale, we'll offer $10 off any domain name
registration and a FREE .info name with any purchase.*

Since we are not starting this sale until Friday, you'll need to
remember to take advantage of it then.  We may have another
newsletter to remind you, but don't wait until its too late!  Keep
an eye on our home page for the special announcement!
--------------------

PHP Website Conversions
We have received quite a few inquiries lately from companies both
large and small who have outgrown their hard-coded website.

As companies expand, their original small website expands, too.
Soon the website becomes a bulky mess, tangled up in itself.  Links
change, documents expire, and soon your business is losing customers
with bad links and messy design.

One of our best services is our PHP conversion.  We'll take your
tangled, frazzled website, and turn it into a database-driven,
backed up, consistent-looking dream.  Converting the site to a PHP-
driven beauty will free up your web designer's time, letting you
save money and take care of a great portion of the website yourself.

Web designers, do you have a client wanting a database-driven site,
but you're not sure how to help?  Contact us (sales@...) and
let us help you keep those customers WOW-ed!

http://techlh.com/php_examples.htm
--------------------

Our Product Line
Lighthouse Technologies offers several services, such as the
reseller hosting mentioned above, along with a few custom products
that help you increase that all-important bottom line.  These
products include:

TownLink - TownLink is our flagship product.  This web package is
designed for someone who would like to make a nice income selling
ads for their local community vendors.  The application comes
complete with web hosting, installation, your own URL, and
maintenance.  All you have to do is sell the ads and make the profit!
http://www.yourtownlink.com

PSS - Process Server Software is a bolt-on software product which
will enable Process Servers across America to display open
(available) jobs around the country as well as keep a database of
clients and other Process Servers who they do business with.  The
software will also enable the company to scan, upload, and email
copies of legal documents to other businesses.  These scanned
documents are at an office across the country in seconds, and
eliminates the need for expensive overnight mail charges.
http://www.4pss.com

For more information on our products, go to
http://www.techlh.com/products.htm
--------------------

Thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com
--------------------

*.info name registrations are for one year.  After one year you will
be billed the normal rate or you can cancel the domain name at any
time.

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
September, 2004 Issue 2
www.techlh.com
---------------------

In This Issue:
* Our 99 Cent Sale is Almost Over
* Google Building A Browser?
* TownLink (Sponsor)
* Defend Your Site From Attacks!
* Custom Scripting
* Discounted Website Maintenance
* Referral Program Updates
---------------------

Our 99 Cent Sale is Almost Over
There are only 8 days left for you to take advantage of our 99
cent 'Everything Sale'.  The overwhelming success of this promotion
will soon pass you by, so act now.

Domain Names: Buy two years, get the third year for 99 cents!

Hosting: Packages start at 99 cents a month!  Other packages
seriously discounted!

eBooks: Professionally written eBooks on subjects such as changing
hosts, the website process, and more.

Want to know more?  www.techlh.com/99c.htm
---------------------

Google Building a Browser?
The word on the street is that Google is spending some of its
recently acquired IPO cash on hiring big talent from major
corporations.  A new, open-source browser could be in the works.

Read all about it at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/21/google_browser_hirings/
---------------------

TownLink
Are you a member of a local organization such as the Jaycees,
Kiwanis, or Chamber of Commerce?

TownLink Software is built for organizations.  These groups can
purchase this custom software, offer advertising to their local
community, and make good profits.  Since these organizations already
have an 'in' with local vendors, selling the ads are easy and
painless.

Tell your organization or group about TownLink Software today.

http://www.yourtownlink.com
---------------------

Defend Your Website From Attacks
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks are on the rise.  What are they?
Well, in general, they are sneaky ways that 'bad guys' use to insert
malicious code into your website, usually through a online form,
causing it to render control, or just crash your server.

But there are ways to make your site more secure.  Read all about
XSS at

http://www.networkcomputing.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=46200069
---------------------

Custom Scripting
Is there something on your website that you get tired of updating?
Is it something that could be automated?  Wouldn't it be nice to
have a custom script do all the work for you?

Lighthouse Technologies specializes in custom programming for
websites.  If you are in need of a custom script, a database-driven
website, or just a simple form handler, we can help.

If you have been wanting to get that script up and running, but have
avoided getting it done, consider doing it now.  Mention our
newsletter and receive 10% off of our custom scripting fees!
---------------------

Discounted Website Maintenance
Sometimes businesses and individuals face times when a web designer
is needed on a short-term contract.  This can be the result of a
lost designer, bad experience with previous company, or any list of
other reasons.  We at Lighthouse Technologies want our current and
potential customers to receive the best quality product that they
can receive, for the most affordable price.

Our professional staff of web designers can update, maintain, or
rebuild your existing website for a fraction of the cost of starting
over.  We also know that a few hours of maintenance may be all you
need.  With that in mind, we've put together a few maintenance
packages that help you budget your upcoming changes, and save money
at the same time.

We also offer programming maintenance, covering such languages as
PHP, Perl, and CGI.  If you have a web-based program that isn't
working, or that you'd like to add more functionality to, talk to us
about it.  We can help.

For information on all of our discounted maintenance programs, look
at http://techlh.com/maintenance.htm
---------------------

Referral Program Upgrades
we have recently upgraded our referral program. Now you can choose
from more gifts and other FREE services. If you have a friend or you
know of a business in need of web design or hosting, refer them to
us and get CASH!

http://www.techlh.com/refer.htm
---------------------

Read REAL Customer Testimonies at http://techlh.com/testimonies.htm

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
September, 2004 Issue 1
www.techlh.com
--------------------

In This Issue:
* Another Reason to Get a Website
* Our Biggest Sale Ever
* Web Designers Reseller Rights
* TownLink (Sponsor)
* How Much are Websites Nowadays?
* Our Upgraded Referral Program
--------------------

Another Reason to Get a Website
The Dieringer Research Group (DRG) (http://www.thedrg.com) surveyed
3,000 US adults in June to ascertain their online shopping habits
and found that the majority of American adults now use the Internet
for shopping.

Many more use the Internet for product research prior to purchasing
products in traditional stores.

The Web is now an essential tool for offline businesses. It's
getting harder and harder to argue that not every business needs a
Website!
Read more at http://www.techlh.com/why_web.htm
--------------------

Our Biggest Sale Ever
Last week we unofficially started our biggest sale ever.  Even
before we announced it, several customers were signing up for our
deals.  Why?  Because these deals are too good to pass up!  We are
offering many of our services at highly reduced pricing - most as
low as 99 cents!  Now you can take advantage of these sales during
September.

We are working hard to reduce all of our services for September.
Choose from hosting packages for 99 cents, domain names for 99
cents, and even our professionally written e-Books for as low as 99
cents!

To see all of our 99 cent deals (and some new FREE offers!) click
over to
http://www.techlh.com/99c.htm
--------------------

Web Designers
Offer professionally written e-books to your clients! You can
purchase reseller rights for all three of our e-books and resell
them on your site, or provide them to potential clients and increase
your chances of landing that contract!
http://www.techlh.com/webdesigners/whitepapers.htm
--------------------

Sponsor - TownLink
Promote your community, network your business, make local vendors
happy, and make money!
www.YourTownLink.com
--------------------

Just how much does a Website costs Nowadays?

While that's an easy and perfectly valid question to ask, the answer
is not so easy!  To answer this question effectively, we would have
to know your goals, purposes, and design ideas for your business'
site.  Since we cannot do that without an initial consultation
meeting, we've decided to give you a few examples of our current
clients and their approximate budget for the project.

Client One
Client One already had a website.  Problem was, they weren't getting
much out of it.  They wanted to put some products online.  To
further complicate the process, their `web guy' moved and was no
longer available.  So Client One had a website that they could not
maintain nor update.

Client One called Lighthouse Technologies and set up an
appointment.  When we met, they explained their problem and we
helped.  Within 6 hours, their site was updated with fresh graphics
and new content.  We did 99% of the work in Client One's office the
same day.

Cost: ~ $240

Client Two
Client Two started a business and needed a simple way for customers
to find and contact him.  He purchased his domain name and a small,
custom-built website from Lighthouse Technologies.  Within two weeks
Client Two's website was online.

Total cost:~ $360

Within several months, Client Two had such success with his website
that he called us for more pages, including a custom script used to
share documents and provide status to his vendors.

Total cost: ~ $710

Client Two's future plans include broadcasting live video over the
Internet and customer payment processing.


Client Three
Client Three had an existing business.  He wanted more exposure for
his growing venture, and the Internet was the answer.  Starting with
just a home page and a contact page, soon he added two pages of
services and a feedback form.

Cost: ~ $300

Shortly after that the business went nationwide.  That meant Client
Three needed updates to the site, including a custom map and pricing
scheme.  Lighthouse Technologies was able to provide a very cost-
effective solution for Client Three.

Cost: ~ $200

Client Three also landed a large contract with a local government
agency.  They were overwhelmed and needed help from other like-
merchants.  They called Lighthouse Technologies for ideas.

We came up with a custom written set of pages, complete with secure
login and database backbone.  The customer could now post `jobs' to
their site, and other nationwide (and local) vendors could log in
and provide services.  Client Three was provided a very easy web-
interface to update and change/delete jobs as needed.

Cost: ~ $400

Client Three requests frequent updates to his site.  With our
monthly maintenance package, Client Three gets just the updates he
needs without any hassle.  Best of all, it's all pre-paid so there
is no monthly billing headache!

Total Cost: ~ $1400

These are just three examples of clients that have had a wide range
of needs for their website - you can get a little, or a lot.  Your
best bet is to contact us and let our web design consultant meet
with you.  There you can discuss your goals, desires, and concerns.
http://techlh.com/contactus.htm
--------------------

Referral Program Upgrades
we have recently upgraded our referral program. Now you can choose
from more gifts and other FREE services. If you have a friend or you
know of a business in need of web design or hosting, refer them to
us and get CASH!
http://www.techlh.com/refer.htm
--------------------

Did you know that Lighthouse Technologies offers special rates for
web designers? Are you wanting to offer PHP programming, Database
creation/administration, hosting, or other services to your clients,
but you don't know how?

Now you can offer these services on your site - and we'll give you a
discount!

Are you wanting to offer hosting on your website, but you aren't
sure how? We offer reduced hosting and reseller pricing. Start
offering these services to your customers and make more money!
http://www.techlh.com/webdesigners
--------------------

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
August, 2004 Issue 1
www.techlh.com
--------------------

I've been working hard for you lately.  You may not have known it,
but I have.  All of the knowledge that Lighthouse Technologies has
acquired over the years is now making its way to an official set of
e-books.

Over the years we've had customers asking a lot of questions about
web services, web acronyms, and how to deal with different
situations.

With that in mind, I decided to start documenting and sharing all
the information I have about different web-related subjects.  I've
completed several, and plan on doing a few more as time permits.
The three that are complete are:
* Web Buyer's Guide - A comprehensive list of web acronyms and
buzzwords.  What they mean and how to compare hosting companies'
features.
* Hosting Refugee - Many people host their website on unreliable
servers - how to dump that host for a GREAT one!
* The Website Process - Everything you need to know about getting a
website, from start to finished online product.

These e-books retail for $9.95 each, but during August and September
they have been reduced to only $7.00 each!
http://www.techlh.com/docs/whitepapers.htm

These e-books can help you make informed decisions about your
website, your hosting, and more.  Learn about new features that you
didn't know existed, and understand what your web designer or
hosting company is telling you.

Be an informed customer!

PLUS - Until the end of the month, you can purchase all three
current e-books for only $15.00 - a savings of 50%!
Get them now at http://www.techlh.com/docs/whitepapers.htm

Hurry, this offer only lasts another eleven days!

Web Designers - Offer these e-books to your clients!  You can
purchase reseller rights for all three e-books and resell them on
your site, or provide them to potential clients and increase your
chances of landing that contract!
http://www.techlh.com/webdesigners/whitepapers.htm
--------------------

Sponsor - TownLink
Promote your community, make local vendors happy, and make money!
www.YourTownLink.com
--------------------

Webmasters - Did you know that Lighthouse Technologies offers
special rates for designers?  Are you wanting to offer PHP
programming, Database creation/administration, hosting, or other
services to your clients, but you don't know how?

Now you can offer these services on your site - and we'll give you a
discount!

Are you wanting to get into the hosting arena, but you aren't sure
how?  We offer reduced hosting and reseller pricing.  Start offering
these services to your customers and make more money!
http://www.techlh.com/webdesigners
--------------------

Lighthouse Technologies has recently upgraded our referral program.
Now you can choose from more gifts and other FREE services.  If you
have a friend or you know of a business in need of web design or
hosting, refer them to us and get CASH!
http://www.techlh.com/refer.htm
--------------------

Windows XP Breaks Your Computer

The new Windows XP Service Pack is out - and causing trouble.
Before you upgrade your system with the new update, you should check
out this article from eWeek:

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1636075,00.asp

Many IT managers are putting off the installation of the new service
pack, as I can imagine fixing a few hundred (or thousand) computers
would cause quite a headache.  While most of the affected programs
seem to be server-related, you should definitely investigate the
list of programs before installing the update.

If you do not update your PC regularly, you really should consider
doing it today.  You can update your Windows Operating System by
visiting http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Many people who have a Microsoft Office Suite (Office 97, 2000, or
XP) may not realize that there are patches for this software as
well.  Visit http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate to see if your
PC needs patching
--------------------

As always, I wish you the best in your life and business!

Until next time, thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter
July, 2004 Issue 1
www.techlh.com

Welcome to all of our new subscribers!
--------------------

If you've visited our website lately, you may have noticed some
changes.  That's right, I'm at it again.  With all of the services
and products we are now offering, our Home Page started getting way
too cluttered, along with the LONG scrolling that so many people
hate to do.  So, I've reduced some font sizes, and moved some things
around.

Several other pages will be getting a rebuild over the next few
weeks, as well.  You can view our new home page at
http://www.techlh.com and our old one at
http://www.techlh.com/index_old.htm  Feel free to send your comments
to will@...

Is it time for you to un-clutter your website?  We can help you with
a one-page fix or a total website redesign!
--------------------

Sponsor

TownLink is a all-in-one web application that lets you set up a
community website in your town. Within minutes you'll be on your
way to building your community - and making money!

Check out www.YourTownLink.com now!
--------------------

July Specials

To celebrate our nation's birthday, we are offering FREE domain
registration with hosting accounts, waived setup fees, and double
BlogShare dollars!  Take advantage of these offers before they
expire on July 31st!
--------------------

Interested in sponsoring this newsletter with your 5 line ad?
Prices start at only $10 per issue.  Contact us at sales@...
today.
--------------------

Helping Customers Promote Your Business

As the saying goes, the best form of advertising is word of mouth.
I'm definitely a believer in that saying, and if customers are
talking about your services or products in the 'real world', why
wouldn't they talk about your services online?  Most likely, they
would, if you provided them the means to do so.

Businesses need any advantage they can get.  Providing your
customers with the tools they need to promote your business can be a
simple task that may turn into dollars!  Millions of people are
starting or maintaining blogs every day.  These 'Internet Voices'
have plenty to say.  So why not help them talk about your website!?

So how do you provide customers with the tools they need to promote
your business?  Easy.  First, you'll need a few quick sentences
about your site.  Wittle them down as short as possible.  Next,
you'll need some graphics that catch your audiences eye.  You'll
need a few different sizes, and usually the smaller the better.

Upload your graphics to your website, if you haven't already.  Start
a new webpage, and call it something such as 'linktous.htm'.  Now,
put a brief summary about your business, or a quick blurb about why
they should consider linking to you.

Then you should add your text links and banner links:

Text Links - You should provide several text links.  Some should be
short and to the point, others can have a bit more or an explanation
about your business.  Make sure they all have a hard link to your
home page or page you are wanting customers to come to.

Graphics (aka Banners) - When you offer graphics, it is highly
suggested that you add a note asking the customers to download the
graphics and FTP them to their own server.  If you don't, they may
link to your graphics on your server, and your bandwidth can
drastically increase.  If you are paying for a small amount of
bandwidth, this may put you over your limit quickly!

Make sure you give a URL for customers to link your graphics to.

I've recently added a "Link To Us" website on the TECHLH site.  If
you are unsure of what I'm talking about, check it out at
http://www.techlh.com/linktous.htm

If you'd like a Link To Us page and you don't know how to make it,
contact me for help/pricing at will@...
--------------------

Thanks for reading,

Will Hanke, Owner
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

As with any business, when free publicity comes your way, you jump
at the chance for it.  Whether you get a spot on a local talk show,
an article in a newspaper or business journal, or are a special
guest on a radio show, you want to be prepared to impress
the 'crowd' with your product, service, or whatever it is that
you're there for.

Many people nowadays watch for mention of a website where they can
find out more information about you or your product.  Mentioning
your website is definitely a HUGE key to turning that publicity into
real cash.  Getting people to the website is the first step, and
keeping them there long enough to perhaps purchase something is even
better!

I've come to find out that a GREAT website addition is a "Featured"
page, which lists different articles, websites, and other important
things that your business has been featured in.  If you're featured
in a large scale media outlet, it doesn't hurt to temporarily add
an "As Featured On..." at the top of your home page.  That way
people that saw you there will know they are at the right place.

Publicize your publicity.  Let people know that you aren't a fly-by-
night operation, but that you've got 'credentials'.  Even if you
were on TV for 30 seconds to explain your better mousetrap, flaunt
it!  People automatically consider you an expert if you've been on
TV, or featured in a newspaper.  You must know something, since you
were there.  Take advantage of that and sell, sell, sell!

If you don't have a Featured page, start today.  Flaunt your
publicity.  Take advantage of it before it passes.
--------------------

Sponsor- Townlink

TownLink is a all-in-one web application that lets you set up a
community website in your town.  Within minutes you'll be on your
way to building your community - and making money!

Check out www.YourTownLink.com now!
--------------------

July hosting specials from TECHLH.com

We are offering FREE domain registration, MILLIONS in BlogShare
Dollars, and WAIVED setup fees. Take advantage of these specials
before they expire!

http://www.techlh.com/specials
--------------------

In April we announced the new monthly-payment options for all
business hosting packages. This new addition to our already high-
quality service line was a great success! If your business doesn't
want to bite the bullet for a years' worth of hosting all at once,
you can now pay monthly!

http://www.techlh.com/hosting
--------------------

Short and sweet.  Good luck in all your personal and business
ventures and have a safe Fourth!

Thanks for reading,
Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Only one newsletter in May?  Well, either I'm a slacker, or I'm
really busy!  I'd prefer the latter...

Getting Testimonies
I've read many places that testimonies are a great thing to have on
your website.  An entire page dedicated to testimonies is not
unusual, and could be one of your most-read pages.

Potential customers like to read 'other peoples' views, comments and
praise about a product or service they are considering.  Customers
like to hear about success, and your business is, of course,
successful!

So, how do you get genuine testimonies?  If you are going out of
your way to provide good service, you'd like to hear about it, and
you'd like to be able to tell others, through proxy, that you are
bustin' your butt to provide the best customer support you can!

One way to get testimonies is simply to ask.  Most likely you have a
list of email addresses of current clients.  While the spam laws
restrict you from writing to potential customers in ways that
advertise (unsolicited) products or services, if you have a list
that was procured by legit means, one simple email or business
letter asking for a testimony won't hurt.

Asking for a testimony can be done in several ways.  Depending on
how you want to portray your business, you can try a few different
ways.  Some businesses may prefer a casual email asking for a
reply.  Other businesses may prefer adding a link to a survey
online.  Others may opt for a more personalized 'snail-mail' to each
customer.  If you aren't sure which to do, try one and measure your
feedback.  If you get none, try a different one next time.

Another way to get testimonies is to provide a special customer
forum on your website.  (If you are hosting with us, you have a FREE
forum avilable in your control panel!)  Forums provide a place for
your customers to interact with your sales force, customer support
team, and more.  Every forum should also have a place for customers
to post their comments, unsolicited, about your products or
services.  If you provide great customer support, you'd be surprised
how many customers will sing your praises in online forums.

Finally, a great way to get a testimony is by bribery.  Yep,
bribery.  Offer a discount on a future purchase in exchange for a
customer's opinion or feedback.  Offer a free gadget, e-book, or
other item.  Offering a small bribe may be just what you're looking
for.

Lighthouse Technologies offers custom feedback forms, surveys, forum
installation and setup, and other services for your website.  Get in
touch with us today by writing to sales@...
--------------------

Sponsor- PSS

Process Service Software (PSS) helps you maximize your profits,
makes your job easier, and expands your local process service into a
global business.  Options include online job posting, instand
document transfer and fanatical support.

Check it out now!  -  http://www.4pss.com
--------------------

May hosting specials from TECHLH.com

Only 5 days left to take advantage of our May specials.  This month
we are offering FREE DOMAIN registration, MILLIONS in BlogShare
Dollars, and WAIVED setup fees.  Take advantage of these specials
before they're gone!

http://www.techlh.com/specials
--------------------

In April we announced the new monthly-payment options for all
business hosting packages.  This new addition to our already high-
quality service line was a great success!  If your business doesn't
want to bite the bullet for a years' worth of hosting all at once,
you can now pay monthly!

http://www.techlh.com/hosting
--------------------

Keeping Customers
On the Web, customer retention is a difficult thing to pull off.
Some businesses have customers that purchase once and never again.
That lack of customer retention may be from several things; maybe
they were just looking for a sale, and you had it, or maybe you
provide a one-time service.

So, what are some good ways to keep customers coming back?

It all starts with the initial sale.  You should be gathering a few
things, with their permission of course.  Customer mailing addresses
and emails are vitally important to your business.  If you're really
good, a history of their purchases and buying patterns can offer
insight to what products to offer them in the future.

After the purchase, a follow-up letter about two weeks or so later
is a great idea.  That may be a good time to ask for feedback.
Giving them a good reason to re-visit your website couldn't hurt
(insert bribe here!).

Other ideas include Christmas (or Holiday) cards for customers that
you've had over the past year, a birthday card (for your business'
birthday) with a special offer, and then of course there's the
simple personal letter explaining your new offers.

Email addresses come with the additional concern of spam.  You
definitely don't want to send out ads to customers without their
permission.  Offering an online newsletter or other subscription is
a great way to have the customers opt-in.  Without being
overbearing, you can then present your business to them a few times
a month.

Other concerns include spam filters, which can zap and delete your
newsletter.  I've found some great tips for avoiding this pitfall at
http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt8/spamfilter_avoidance.htm

Lastly, there's always the telephone.  While I personally hate cold
and warm calling, sometimes it is necessary.  A phone call just to
check on your customer and mention a few new products or other sales
may be what you need to boost your bottom line.  As with spam laws,
be careful of no-call lists and laws, too!

Need help setting up a newsletter signup page?  Want us to help you
collect data from your customers?  Contact us today for a FREE price
quote.  sales@...
--------------------

Thanks for reading, see you in June!
Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Well here we are, at the end of our four-part series on the website
process, from start to finish.  Part four isn't really part of the
process, but more of a generic summary of some popular terms and
buzzwords that will help you sound more web-savvy when your Web
Designer shows up at your door.

To get started, I'd like to explain.  I'm going to basically define
some terms and give a brief summary where it is needed.  If you want
to know more about a specific term or other website buzzword that I
missed, feel free to email me personally at will@....  Now,
on with the dog and pony show!

--------------------
The Website Process - Part Four of Four

Web Development - Development usually means the process of
(sometimes physically!)drawing out your website.  The original map
is usually called a 'site map'.  You may even see that term on sites
sometimes.  Site maps show you a map of the site, how to get to
pages that may be of interest to you.

Web Design - Design and development are not the same, although
sometimes they intermingle.  Design includes the color scheme and
layout of the actual pages.  Do you want a menu on the top or left?
Do you want a footer?  How wide should your pages be?  Do you want
to use a database or provide all the information statically (see
below for defs)?  A good designer will have a few designs for you to
choose from, assuming you portrayed your ideas for your site to him
well.

Hosting - Every webpage on the Internet 'lives' somewhere.  Whether
it is on a company server or a shared server, it lives somewhere.
Once the pages are created, they have to be copied to a server, and
then the world has to be 'told' where these pages are.  Hosting
includes all of your database and email features, in most cases.
Hosting companies (such as this one) also should provide very good
support, because you don't want your site to be inaccessible!

URL - A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the buzzword (or is it
abbreviation?) for your domain name.  For example, our URL is
techlh.com.  URL's are purchased yearly, with 2,3,5 and 10 year
purchase options available.

Static and Dynamic websites - Static websites are also referred to
as 'hard-coded' sites.  The information does not change, or interact
according to what you click while on the site.  Dynamic pages change
according to your mouse clicks or information entered.  A good
example of a dynamic page is a search engine.  When you type in a
query, the server takes that word or phrase, compares it against a
database, and then provides the results 'on the fly'.  If someone
changes the database, then the next time you do that same query, it
would change.  Dynamic pages are much friendlier and ultimately save
you money, since a change to a database is easier than paying a
developer every time there is an update/change.

Parking - Some companies like to own all the domain names (URLs)
related to their company.  So they'll purchase all the options -
the .com, .net, .biz, .info, etc.  Then they will do something
called parking: parking that domain on top of their 'real' one.  All
the URLs point to the same website, there is no need to create
multiple websites for each domain name.

Email forwarding - Hosting companies usually give you a certain
number of email boxes.  They should also give you forwarding
capability.  This will allow you to set up a 'virtual' mailbox,
which will then forward to your real email.  It makes your website
look more professional, sending an email to info@...
instead of john.doe@....

HTML - Hypertext Markup Language is the basis for all websites.
When on a website, click on VIEW and then SOURCE.  This will show
you the actual code that someone (or a program) wrote to display
that page to you.

PHP, C++, ASP, Perl - These are programming languages that allow for
(usually) dynamic websites.

Blog - Short for weB LOG, it usually refers to someone's online
journal.  These blogs can be (and are) used for pure entertainment
or business purposes.

Lighthouse Technologies offers a great Web Buyer's Guide to anyone
who wants it.  It lists a BUNCH of terms and explains them in some
details.  You can get yours at http://www.techlh.com/web_buyer.htm

Do you still have questions?  Email me at will@...!
--------------------

Sponsor

TownLink Software lets you meet more businesspeople, network with
other owners, and make money along the way.  This unique software
package builds your business and your bank account.

http://yourtownlink.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=28
--------------------

Last chance for April Specials

Lighthouse Technologies has some great deals that end in only 3
days.  Take advantage of our waived setup fees and FREE domain names
before they are gone!
http://techlh.com/specials.htm
--------------------

Get Millions - Well, kinda

Many people online play a fantasy stock-trading game called
BlogShares (www.blogshares.com).  If you play, and you are in need
of money, Lighthouse Technologies would like to give you a few
MILLION DOLLARS in B$ money just for trying out our hosting.  We are
so confident that you'll like our service,  that after 30 days, if
you decide that you don't like what we have to offer, you won't be
charged, and you can keep the millions in B$ money!

Look for more interesting and offbeat offers in the future.

For more information on the BlogShares promotion, look at
http://www.techlh.com/hosting.
--------------------

Thanks for reading.  If you enjoy the newsletter, consider passing
it on to a few friends who may benefit from it!
Will Hanke, Owner
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

We've got some pretty exciting new features to tell our newsletter
readers about this issue.  But more about that later.  This
newsletter contains what I think is the most important of the four
steps in the Web Design Process - Maintenance.  Let's get started.
------------------------

The Website Process (cont.)
Part Three - Maintenance
Website maintenance is probably the most overlooked and important
step in your business website.  In addition to keeping your
customers, it also directly affects your search engine ranking
(including Google!)

So just what is maintenance?  Dictionary.com says: The work of
keeping something in proper condition; upkeep.

Upkeep.  I couldn't begin to tell you how many clients I've built
websites for that don't consider the maintenance factor.  They
contact me, want a site built, and once its built, they are
satisfied with it for the next ten years.  Ouch.  That's gonna hurt
their business in the long run, assuming their business grows.

As businesses evolve, things change.  Phone numbers, mailing
addresses, products, and most importantly - pricing.  That customer
who may have put out a spectacular website two years ago could today
be losing money from potential clients because they can't find him.
Or the products he lists simply don't exist any more.  His new,
faster-better products aren't even listed.

Maintenance pertains to all websites, of course, not just business
sites.  How many times have you gone to a site, looking for a
particular bit of information, only to see that the site hadn't been
updated since 1998?  I have, and I hate it.  It wastes my time.

And maintenance on a website isn't all that time consuming.  An hour
a month could keep your site fresh and current.  Search engines,
such as Google, actually take site update information into
consideration when determining the ranking for your site.  If your
site hasn't been updated in a year, other sites with less
information (which have been updated recently) may actually score
higher in the ranking.  That means users will click on their site
before yours.  Not good if you're selling a product.

Lighthouse Technologies offers several very reasonable packages for
website maintenance.  While a once-a-month fix may become expensive
after a while, buying a yearly maintenance package can save you big
money for those little tweaks to the site - and your search engine
ranking will benefit.  To see more about our maintenance packages,
see http://techlh.com/maintenance.htm

Don't neglect your website.  It's your 'face' to the world.  Regular
visitors will see no changes after a while, and stop coming.  Sites
that are current and mention recent events keep users' attentions
much better.  Good luck with your website!
---------------------

Sponsor
Sponsor
Townlink Software v1.0 is now available to the public. The
revolutionary software and website package is a total turn-key
product. When you purchase, you receive a website, hosting, domain
registration and even FREE maintenance for a year. Start your own
TownLink site in your town and turn those business relationships
into even more revenue for your business.

See www.YourTownLink.com for all the information.
----------------------

FREE DOMAIN NAMES through April 30
Register for any business hosting package and receive one FREE
domain name registration.  See www.techlh.com/specials.htm
----------------------

New Features
We've been really busy behind the scenes, working hard to make sure
that our valued customers get their moneys-worth and then some.
We've implemented several new features since April first, and expect
a few more exciting announcements later.

Forum - http://www.techlh.com/forum
We took the forum offline for a while for lack of participation, but
now it's back!  We will do our best to keep it up-to-date with any
new announcements and other information.

Helpdesk - http://www.techlh.com/helpdesk
This is our newest feature, a full-fledged helpdesk.  After looking
at a dozen different helpdesk programs, we found one that we think
all of our customers will be happy with.  It is very easy to
navigate and ticket submission is a great way to document your
problems and keep track of solutions.  All current users can access
the helpdesk with their normal userID and password.

Hosting - http://www.techlh.com/hosting
We've added new features to all of the hosting packages, including
several forum options, helpdesk software, even a real-estate
listings program.  There are more coming, too!

At the request of a customer, we are now offering a monthly payment
option for hosting.  Now you can stretch that budget and you don't
have to come up with all that money at once!

Web Designer Services - http://www.techlh.com/wd_services.htm
Are you a web designer that wants to offer more options to your
clients?  Now you can offer hosting, custom scripting and other
solutions to your clients.  We'll do the work, you get a price
break, and you take the credit!

Products - coming soon
Lighthouse Technologies has taken part in some really fun projects -
projects that have been so successful that we've decided to start
offering them to other businesses.  We already offer TownLink
(yourtownlink.com) and are in the process of finishing up a great
product for Process Service/Private Investigation professionals.
Stay tuned!

Don't see something that you'd like Lighthouse Technologies to
offer?  Contact us anytime, we'll be glad to help you.
-------------------

Thanks for reading.
Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Greetings and welcome to all of our new readers!  I hope you find
this newsletter to be of help to your business and personal
endeavors!
--------------------

The Website Process (cont.)
Part Two - Development
Ok, so you've met with your web designers, or perhaps even a few of
them, and you've chosen one.  Now its time for you to provide your
copy and other design notes to the designer.

A good designer will keep their clients up to date.  Over the next
few weeks you'll probably hear from him/her quite often.  If you
don't, you may want to ask what's going on.  Many designers require
a payment up-front to cover their startup costs, and you'll need to
be reassured that you didn't just give your money away.

Development techniques vary widely.  Depending upon what you decided
to do with your website in the design stage, your designer may have
to contract out certain portions.  While some designers are great at
coding an entire website, most of the 'good ones' are more
specialized in a certain area.  If you require Flash, and your
designer doesn't know it, or at least not good enough to produce
what you need, they'll hire someone who can do it proficiently and
professionally.  They'll then incorporate that into the rest of the
site.

There are many programs on the market for developing websites.  Some
designers use Microsoft Front Page, others use Cold Fusion,
HomeSite, Adobe PageMaker, Dreamweaver, or a multitude of other
available editors.  Whatever the designer uses, the purpose should
be clean code.  If they tell you they are using Microsoft Word, be
wary.  While Word may produce a readable page, the code will be
horrific and slow-loading.  You'll lose customers.

During the development phase of your project, ask the designer for
the URL used in testing.  If available, you can watch your site in
the process of being created.  Many designers start out with a
template and then start modifying it to fit the clients needs.
Refresh a few times a day and you'll see it coming together.

As the website development winds to a close, you should be in
contact with your designer often.  They should provide you with a
URL (if they haven't already) and you should start looking through
the site.  Mention any misspellings, color changes, and any other
characteristics about the site that you want changed.  Make sure the
aesthetics of the site are the way you like, verify the content, and
click on everything!  Point out any inconsistencies and broken links
before your site goes public.

Consider pages that are not done or that have an 'under
construction' to be unlinked, or at least have a date on them of
when they will be available.  Customers that see information missing
will most likely go to another site where the information they seek
is available.

Major changes may incur additional fees.  As long as the designer
stuck with the original idea that was portrayed during the design
stage, you'll be ok.  But if you see something after the meeting on
another website that you want, don't be upset if there are
additional costs.

The average website (10 pages or so) shouldn't take more than 20-30
days from start to finish.  If special scripts or other programming
is required, it may take longer.  E-Commerce sites could take
several months, depending on your product line and shopping cart
software.

Next newsletter we'll look at the Maintenance Phase of a website.

If you need a website for your business or have an idea that you'd
like to put to work, call us.  Lighthouse Technologies has over 7
years of Internet design and development.
www.techlh.com
--------------------

Sponsor
Townlink Software v1.0 is now available to the public.  The
revolutionary software and website package is a total turn-key
product.  When you purchase, you receive a website, hosting, domain
registration and even FREE maintenance for a year.  Start your own
TownLink site in your town and turn those business relationships
into even more revenue for your business.

See www.YourTownLink.com for all the information.
--------------------

FREE DOMAIN NAMES through March 31
Register for any business hosting package and receive one FREE
domain name registration.
www.techlh.com/specials.htm
--------------------

February Resolutions
According to thecounter.com (full link at end of article), screen
resolutions are creeping upwards.  With bigger monitors and flat-
screen resolution increasing, its no wonder.  Bigger monitors give
the user more 'real estate' for their icons and browser.

With more of an area to display, the old idea of creating all of
your pages in 640x480 is long gone.  The days of designing for
800x600 may be on the way out, too.  But not just yet.  Baby boomers
are getting to the age of dimming eyesight, and even the new high-
res monitors won't help with that small text.

If you've designed your site for 640x480 resolution, move up.  Come
be with the rest of us in the year 2004.  If you aren't sure, design
for 800x600.

If you have questions, or are unsure of your current website's
design resolution, contact me.  I'll personally help you out.

article stats: http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2004/February/res.php
--------------------

Thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Greetings and welcome to all of our new readers!  I hope you find
this newsletter to be of help to your business and personal ventures!
--------------------

The Website Process
When a new client approaches me for a new website, most of them have
no idea what they want.  Business owners, as expected, know about
their business, but are unaware of the ins and outs of the website
process.  They know they want a website and that's about it.  So
that is why I've decided to start a four-part series on what I've
termed the Website Process.

Very basically, the process takes three major steps, with a lot of
small steps in between.  The three major steps are: Design,
Development, and Maintenance.  Note that these steps do not include
other items of importance such as marketing, search engine
submission, and e-commerce options.  Some of that, along with
hosting and domain registration will be discussed in Part Four.
This is meant to be a very general overview of the process to help
you be more informed when you decide to talk to a web
designer/developer.

Part One - The Design
Design doesn't start with the designer.  It starts with you.

You are sitting in front of the computer one day when you decide
that your company or idea needs a website.  Immediately, some images
are conjured up in your mind.  Different options that you want
available are streaming through your thoughts.  This is the start of
your design process.

So you call up a web designer (like Lighthouse Technologies) and set
up a meeting.  When we meet, there are some things I expect out of
the meeting: your overall summary of what the site is/does, the
purpose of the site, your design ideas (including colors preferred
graphics, and anything else that you want on the site), copy
(brochures, ads, etc.) and budget.  The more information you can
provide at the meeting, the better.  It is not advised to come to
the meeting without any ideas, as a designer usually does not know
your business, the buzzwords related to it, nor the way you want
your business portrayed.

The overall summary of your site can set the mood.  If you sell
chocolates or coffee, you probably want a subtle, calm look.
Whereas, if you offer towing, you don't want flowers and pastels.
Setting the mood is VERY important.  Just like walking into a real
store, whether the place is a mess or the rows are neat affects your
buying decisions.  Seeing a well put-together website gives the
customer a sense of security and warmth.  Customers should feel
welcomed and all information should be readily available.

Your design ideas may include menu items that you believe should be
displayed on the home page.  These include the obvious Contact Us
and About Us links, as well as links to your product/services and
other important links.

The most important item that a designer cannot live without is your
copy.  Whether you have a brochure, recent ads, or a folder full of
information, your designer will love you if you have these items
readily available.  If you sell insurance, you may want to
personally write the copy for each page of your website since the
specialized lingo must be understood by everyone.  A telephone
salesman may want to include descriptions of features mentioned,
etc.  A web designer cannot just 'make up' words to fill in your
pages.

Budget should also be discussed at the meeting.  You may have no
idea what it costs to get a website going.  Important things such as
hosting and domain registration should be mentioned, as well as
actual design and implementation pricing for the website itself.
While many designers will not quote a price on the spot, they can at
least give you a general idea of the costs involved.  Most likely
your designer will put together a formal proposal and provide it to
you within a few days after the meeting.

It is my belief that the more that can be discussed at the initial
meeting, the more informed both parties will come out.  Ask
questions and convey ideas, no matter how silly or minor.

If you are considering a website or have an idea/function that you'd
like your current website to do, contact Lighthouse Technologies
today.  We can help you with ideas and provide some pointers for
your online venture.
www.techlh.com
--------------------

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--------------------

Feedback - Let Your Customers Redesign Your Website
When you purchase a new item from a Yahoo! Store, you are asked if
you'd like to provide feedback on the transaction.  About two weeks
after the initial purchase, an email from Yahoo! Stores shows up,
asking you to provide feedback for the vendor.  Whether your
experience was good or bad, the opportunity is probably siezed more
often than not by customers.

Of course, I would bet that bad experiences are more likely to be
posted than the good ones, but I'd bet the number is still
substantial enough to affect the owner's website look and payment
processes.

Does your website have a feedback form?  Do you give your customers
an opportunity to tell you how you did?  Wouldn't those opinions
help you shape your customer satisfaction and support foundations?
I think so.

Your customer may have a great idea that would compliment your site,
or a function that they would have liked (such as saving their
information if they order often, so they don't have to fill in
purchase forms over and over).

You can set up an automatic feedback email during the initial
purchase, or you can send the customer a letter asking them to
return to your site to provide information.  Either way, this
information can be valuable in making future visitors into customers!

Need a feedback form on your site?  Lighthouse Technologies can
write one for as little as $45
--------------------

Thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

In this month's first newsletter I wanted to touch on some points in
leading the pack in your business area.  Whether its selling popcorn
or warehousing tanks, you can be the one on the web that people come
to.  And people coming turns into revenue.
--------------------

Sleazy, or To the Point?

I had a call this morning from a man in New York, a possible
client.  He said he had checked out several websites that specialize
in web design and promotion, including mine.  He commented that,
unlike other web design sites, mine was sleazy.  Of course, I was
taken aback - but I think he meant it in a good way.  He went on to
explain that he liked my site because it had content and not flashy
junk.

Good.  That's what the point of my design was.

While I can certainly whip you up a snazzy website with graphics
galore, do you really think that people are coming to your website
to see how fancy you can make theirs?  Yes, there probably are
people like that.  But I believe that <i>true business-people</i>
want content.  They want to supply their possible clients with
information and not fancy shtuff.  As a business owner, you should
want every single person that comes to your site to gain a bit of
knowledge.  Whether or not they stick around to purchase - well,
that's another deal.  What matters, in my mind, is that they learned
something.  And a week, month, or year from now they may remember
where they got all that information.  They may point people to your
business website because 'you have the answers' that everyone else
avoids.

Put it out there.  Don't hoard information because most likely its
available somewhere.  Anyone with some decent Google experience can
find out quite a bit of information, so why not be the company that
leads the pack in your area?
--------------------

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--------------------

Complimenting your website with others

Consider for a minute my son's website for grass mowing.  Obviously
this is a very small target group in our town, but think of the
ideas and marketing opportunities that could come from something
like this.  By creating a website for 'my client', I've not only
provided a way for him to increase revenue, but in this case I'll be
along with him (cutting grass all summer?!), and I'll have the
opportunity to market my skills in a non-intrusive manner to
obviously web-savvy people.

Do you have a friend or colleague that has a business and website?
A complimentary website could be the answer to your business needs.
If you were in the flower selling business, why not hook up with a
DJ service in your town?  Both of you could then share leads on
upcoming weddings.  You could point business to them, and them to
you.  Complimentary businesses could boost your revenues
dramatically.  And complimentary websites that cross-link also
increase your Google placement.

Working with complimentary businesses will help you become a leader
in your area.  If other businesses are recommending you, you've
already got an advantage on your competition.  In our example, a
young groom and bride that hear about your flower company from their
DJ service is more likely to visit/call you first, assuming they
were happy with the DJ business.

Think about merchants that you conduct regular business with, and if
they compliment yours in some way, approach them about 'sharing the
wealth'.  It wouldn't hurt to ask!
--------------------

If you are in need of a website, a custom web-based application, or
if you just have some ideas that you'd like to bounce off of
someone, give Lighthouse Technologies a call.  The phone number is
314.496.8665 or you can email me at sales@...
--------------------

Thanks for reading.

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Welcome to 2004.  I'm sure you are Happy New Year'd out, so I'll get
right to it.
-----------------------

In your many great web searches, you've come across a few blogs.
Whether you know what they are, or what they do, you've been to
one.  If you don't know how to identify one, that's ok.  If you've
used Google, you've been to one.

It is estimated that less than 2% of the world's population knows
what a blog (or weblog) is.  Yet Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, and all
other major search engines use their content daily.  It is also
estimated that 90%+ of Intenet users have visited a blog, knowingly
or not.

And finally some companies are catching on to the phenomenon.  Sony,
usually a big bully when it comes to not allowing the reproducing of
copyrighted images on websites, introduced several free templates
for web designers and bloggers alike.  The templates feature
Spiderman, and (of course) a plug for the upcoming Spiderman II
movie.  The templates look great, which helps the website owner to
improve his 'look and feel'.  At the same time, Sony is getting a
ton of free web marketing.

While this solution probably won't help you in your small business,
I conclude that other ideas may.  Do you have an idea for a web
application that would sell easily?  Maybe even something that you
could give away for free on your website?  Think, more traffic means
more potential customers.

Many web applicatons can be written in PHP, a specialty of
Lighthouse Technologies.  Within a short time your idea can be
reality, and maybe even bringing in income.  Think about it.  Sony
took a hugely growing technology and bent it to their advantage.
You can do it too, even for a small business.  Don't dismiss those
ideas.  The crazy ones are sometimes the good ones.
---------------------

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----------------------

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----------------------

So much about META tags!

I've written about META tags in the past, and I thought I'd take
this first newsletter of 2004 to help you expand your search engine
optimization efforts and increase your web hits.

Rule #1: META tags always go in between the HEAD tags on your
website.
Rule #2: NEVER include any line breaks in any META tag!

Most everyone knows the two basic META tags:  keywords and
description.

Keywords should be in a descending order of importance.  Move your
most important keywords to the front, and don't repeat yourself
(e.g. auto,parts,auto parts,Auto Parts).  Keep the list short, to
about 25 keywords.  If you cater to more than one ethnic group of
people, consider keywords in other languages.  Lastly, eliminate
spaces between the words.  Make them "comma" instead of "comma
space".

Descriptions should also be kept short and to the point.  Around 100-
125 characters is about the max usable length.  Make sure you use a
few important keywords in your description, be informative but brief.

Web designers should include these tags as well:
<meta name="author" content="yourname">
<meta name="copyright" content="Copyright 2004, yourname">
<meta name="generator" content="yourname or company">

These three tags may change if you are the owner of the
company/website but not the creator.  In that case, the first two
lines would be about the company owner, while the third should be
the creator or the creator's web address.

For visiting robots, you may want to add this line:
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow,noarchive">

Although most robots use the robots.txt file, Google in particular
also pays attention to the third item - noarchive.  This tells the
search engine to index the page, but not to cache it.  This comes in
handy if you change your page often.  Google will then always send
the user to the latest version of the page, not one that it cached.

Latly, you may want to consider these two META tags for our
wonderful Microsoft-controlled world:
<meta name="MSSmartTagPreventParsing" content="TRUE">
<meta http-equiv="imagetoolbar" content="no">

The first turns off a feature in MS Internet Explorer which
displays "smart tags", or dynamic links, to your website.  These
links can actually send the user to your competition's website.  Not
good!

The imagetoolbar tag prevents Internet Explorer 6+ users from
swiping your custom-made graphics by disabling a toolbar.  This
toolbar is usually displayed by doing a right-click on a graphic and
saving it to disk.  While people can still swipe your graphics, at
least they'll have to go through a little trouble to get it.
Hopefully its enough of a deterrant to keep them away.
-------------------

Thanks for reading.  I wish you the best in 2004!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Greetings to all our new readers!  If you like our newsletter,
please recommend it to a friend today!
----------------------

Ending the Holiday Season with a Bang

As we near the end of the holiday shopping season, it is my wishes
that your business has done wonderful this year.  Even more, I hope
your business ventures increase ten-fold in 2004!  Here's to more
web visitors, more revenue, and more clients!

One way to finish out the year with a bang is to consider the 'goods
and bads' of your web design.  If you host with Lighthouse
Technologies, now is the time to take advantage of your Control
Panel stats.  Look over the last year, especially the last two or so
months, and check out your stats.  Look at things like top keywords
and key phrases.  Look at entry and exit pages.  Are most people
coming from a specific location?  Did they stumble on your page via
Google, AOL, or MSN?  Or did they come from a competitors site?
You'll be surprised at how people find you!

How long did customers average at your website?  If the answer
is 'not long', consider moving some things around as we discussed in
the last issue (available at techlh.com/newsletters).  Look at your
website from a customer's view.  Is the information easily
accessible?  Are the most popular keywords on your page?  Are they
linked to more information?

Lastly, consider your colors.  Are they drastic?  Are they mellow?
Do they convey the general 'look and feel' of your business?
Brights such as reds and oranges generally attract attention.
Softer colors such as blue and green portray a more 'businesslike'
feel.  And light yellows and grays can portray a more elegant feel.
Of course, these still depend on how you use them.  Mixing a bunch
of brights together can bring across a feel of vibrancy and
activeness.  Make sure your colors help your customer, and are not
too 'hard on the eyes'.

The beginning of the year is a good time to redesign a website.  For
information on a site redesign, contact Lighthouse Technologies
today.  techlh.com/contactus.htm

For more information on how to access your control panel, contact
us.  If you do not host with Lighthouse Technologies, you should
consider installing a third-party service such as SiteMeter
(www.sitemeter.com) to help you track your visitors.
--------------------

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----------------------

PHP Custom Scripts

Lighthouse Technologies recently announced the addition of an entire
PHP scripting service to our clients.  Several clients have already
taken advantage of this service.  Do you need a custom script that
interacts with a database?  Do you want to keep all of your service
calls or job bids in a single place, accessible from anywhere in the
world?

Custom web scripting from Lighthouse Technologies is your answer.
Contact us today for a quote on your next project or idea!
-----------------------

Business Flu Losses

Recently my house was hit with the flu bug.  Fortunately, I suppose,
all of my children got the bug at the same time.  Unfortunately, it
got me too.  I was down and our for over a week, and am just now
getting back into the swing of things.

What happens to your business and website when a 'bug' attacks?  Do
you have sufficient backups?  In times of bugs and viruses, do you
have what it takes to keep pressing on in the face of the attack?

When my house was hit, it was a disaster waiting to happen.
Headaches and fevers were all around, and there was no escape.  If
your website is hit with a virus, what do you do?  Are you
prepared?  Can you afford to be without your livelihood for a week?
Two weeks?

As mentioned previously in this newsletter, Lighthouse Technologies
can write a simple custom script that runs incremental or full
backups of your database.  These backups are stored to your personal
site, or FTP'd to another site.  If you want to find out more about
our backup services, write to us at sales@... today.

When the flu bug hits, be prepared with your medicine.  Have your
backup plan ready to go.
----------------------------

Hosting Specials

Currently Lighthouse Technologies is offering two months FREE when
you sign up for a year of hosting.  We offer PHP, MySQL, PERL,
email, a control panel, stats, shopping carts and tons more!

See techlh.com/hosting for all the goods!
----------------------------

Interested in sponsoring this newsletter with your 5 line ad?
Prices start at only $10 per issue.  Contact us at sales@...
today!

Thanks for reading!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

This is the last month for you and your friends to take advantage of
our hugely successful FREE hosting campaign.  Anyone who signs up
before the end of December will receive 14 months for the price of
only 12.  This deal is valid for any of our plans, from the
$1.29/month plan all the way up to the ultimate plan.  If you have
been contemplating your own hosting, now is the time to act.

Lighthouse Technologies offers the best unbranded hosting in the
US.  If you blog, our bloghosting plan is right down your alley.
Small businesses can take advantage of our Bronze hosting package,
and small businesses that are growing can upgrade to our Silver and
Gold hosting.  Either way, you're a sure winner with Lighthouse
Technologies on your side!

We pride ourselves on our personal touch customer care and support.
If you ever do have a problem, expect to hear from a real person,
not an automated response.

If you or a friend are looking for hosting, let us know.  If you
have pre-sales questions, send them to sales@... and we'll
get a response back to you quickly.

To check out our plans, go to techlh.com/hosting
------------------------

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------------------------

Moving Things Around

How often, men, have you come home to find the living room furniture
in different places?  Your wife said she was ready for something
different, so she moved some things around.  It may have been
inconvenient at first, but deep inside it felt good to have things a
little different at home.  Maybe by moving the couch over there it
made the room seem bigger.  By moving the TV over on that wall gave
the room a sense of coziness.

The same can be true for your website.  If you are in a rut, and
your website isn't bringing in the results you thought it should,
maybe a little 'furniture moving' is what you need.

Recently I moved a few things around at the Lighthouse Technologies
home page.  Instead of hitting the customers with an immediate web
design and hosting blurb, a put something that caught the user's
eye.  This newsletter.  Now the first thing that a potential client
sees on our home page is an offer for FREE tips and cpecials.
Immediately the customer is 'given' something, instead of the same
old 'heres why we are the best'.  Since moving the newsletter link
to the top, we've had a surge of subscribers, more than we've had in
the last 6 months.  And I just did it on Monday.

Moving things around may be good for more than just you.  Google
watches home pages for stagnant, unchanging information.  If your
page is not updated regularly, Google (and others) actually figures
that into it's vast algorithm that it uses to rank your site among
the others.  Moving things around can keep your page fresh, and
importantly, keep you in the listings.

Be careful, though, that you don't move too much stuff.  If you have
a login link, moving it may confuse those customers of yours that
are used to clicking in the upper right corner to log in.  Move
that, or change it's color, and some users may simply think you've
discontinued that service, or have completely abandoned them.  Move
with caution.

Have fun with your website.  Keep it fun, keep it interesting, and
keep it moving!
------------------------

Interested in sponsoring this newsletter with your 5 line ad?
Prices start at only $10 per issue.  Contact us at sales@...
today
------------------------

Thanks for reading,

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Remember the day that you got your new computer (or the hand-me down
from Uncle Larry) and you pulled that shiny case out of the box?
Once you finally had all of the cables properly mangled into an
unmanageable ball, you powered on, the screen lit up and off you
went.  The PC was fast, programs loaded in the blink of an eye, and
Internet surfing was a breeze.  Those were the days.

But now your PC seems to need a walker and a dozen car batteries
just to get enough energy to start.  Now you can turn the PC on, go
get some coffee, walk the dog, and wave hello to your local waste
management person who is throwing your trash cans around like a
toy.  When you come back inside, if the computer is ready to go,
you're surprised.  Then, once you click on something, the wait
starts again.

So what happened?  Where did you go wrong?

There are many things that contribute to your slowing PC.  Perhaps
you forgot to feed the little gerbil inside – the one that's running
the wheel round and round that powers your PC.  Maybe you've loaded
one-too-many programs and now your hard drive is gasping for air.
You may have a computer that is more than 2 years old, which may
cause some newer programs to just not work.  You may need more
memory in your computer.  And if you have teenagers, you're just out
of luck.  Between games, instant messaging programs, and tons of
Internet history backlog, you should be looking for a professional
psychiatrist.

But your PC is not dead on arrival.  There is a way to resuscitate
the old pile of metal into a once-again functional machine.  Start
by going into the Control Panel (START, SETTINGS, CONTROL PANEL on
most machines) and click on the Add/Remove Programs button.  Look
through the list for programs you no longer use.  Make sure you
recognize the name, and that you aren't deleting Aunt Mary's recipe
book on accident.  If you do, your wife will remind you daily for
the next six years.  Remove with care.  For programs that show in
duplicate, remove the oldest version.  If you are not sure about a
program, don't delete it.  Call a professional - or your teenager.

You really should check your hard drive.  In Windows, it's pretty
easy.  Double-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop.  Your
desktop is the main screen you see when the computer comes on, you
know, the one with the cute puppy background or the picture of
someone's kids.  When the My Computer window comes up, right-click
on your main hard drive, usually labeled as the C drive.  You should
get a menu with options, choose Properties.  That will bring up a
small window with a neat little pie chart.  Note your used and free
space amounts.  If your pie has only 1 slice left worth of free
space, you need to start cleaning the drive, or get a bigger one.
Windows wants at least ten percent of your drive to be free just to
run minimally.  I suggest more like twenty percent.  With hard
drives in the 100 gigabyte range now, you shouldn't have to worry
about space issues.

These are a few good ways to start reviving that PC back to its
former self.  In future articles I'll cover more of these time-
saving tips, as well as many other computer secrets that the normal
geek wouldn't dare tell you.

If you are located in the St. Louis area, contact us about our <a
href="http://arnoldlink.com/savemain.php?type=computers">PC Tune-Up
Special</a>!
-------------------

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--------------------

Host Three and Save COntinues to Satisfy Web Developers

Our Host Three and Save Special has been a great success! Webmasters
are utilizing this sale to increase their profits and pass savings
onto their clients. If you are a webmaster looking for a great
hosting deal, this is it!

The process is simple - host three unique sites within 6 months and
get the third site for HALF PRICE! You can pass that savings onto
your clients or use the savings to increase your marketing budget!

To find out more about this or any other special, click through to
http://www.techlh.com/specials.htm
---------------------

FREE Website Hosting

We offer quality hosting for personal and business sites starting at
only $1.29 a month. This hosting is dependable and offers a TON of
freebies including FREE subdomains, FREE MySQL databases, FREE add-
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Now, when you sign up for one year with any of our packages, you get
2 months FREE. That's right - 14 months for the low price of only 12
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To find out about our hosting packages, click to
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----------------------

Lighthouse Technologies Announces Major Upgrades to Hosting Servers

If you are a hosting client of Lighthouse Technologies, you may have
noticed some changes.  Then again, perhaps you didn't.

Over the weekend of November 15-16, Lighthouse Technologies
partnered with a newer, faster server hosting service.  This new
service gives us much better servers and connections for our
clients.  Along with that, you'll notice an increase in speed, as
the new servers have 3.06GHz Processors.

There have also been some upgrades to Apache, PHP, and the Control
Panel.  Watch for more to come.

While there are always speed bumps to be expected, Lighthouse
Technologies is proud to serve you.  If you are looking for a good,
quality unbranded hosting solution, we invite you to check out our
website at www.techlh.com/hosting
----------------------

Thanks for reading!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Lighthouse Technologies Newsletter, November 3, 2003

Web Design is a very subjective process.  Your idea of what looks
good may differ from the next person's.  While wild backgrounds and
flashing text were once considered 'cool', unwritten standards have
evolved into every web designers inventory.

In the following examples I intend to convey a few of those user-
unfriendly examples to you.  My purpose is only to get you thinking
about the layout and performance of your website.  If you have one
of these examples on your site, and you like it, by all means -
leave it there!  These are just examples.

1.  Page Counters
Five years ago, every site had a page counter.  They proudly
displayed how popular a site had become.  The problem is, as many
site owners started to find out, is that these counters can be
easily manipulated.  They can start at any number (not just 1), and
they can produce vastly over-inflated numbers.  On the other hand,
if your site is not a high-traffic area, do you really want
customers to know that?

2. Javascript Text Scrolling
I remember when this first came out.  In fact, I had it on my home
page.  Do you remember visiting a website and all the scrolling text
across the bottom?  These were usually put in your status bar along
the bottom edge of your browser window.  They have become a big no-
no in web design.  Users like to see their status bar, or, if they
don't, they turn it off.  Either way, this is a useless tool.

3. Excessive Animated .GIF's
In the mid 90's when the Internet boom hit, everyone was getting a
home page.  Sites and ISP's would give you FREE space to put up your
information.  Soon, webmaster wannabe's everywhere were over
populating the web with crazy animations and bright (obnoxious!)
colors.  Today very few sites use these files.  They are now
considered a waste of bandwidth.  Since most companies pay for their
hosting by how much bandwidth is used, animated GIF's went by the
wayside.

4. Under Construction Signs
There used to be (and probably still are) pages and pages of
different 'under construction' graphics for webmasters to use.  Why
is this a problem?  Well, isn't the Internet just a big construction
site anyway?  Are you and your friends, clients, and other
businesses constantly updating and upgrading their information
online?  It also conveys a sense of incompleteness.  No business
wants their customers to think they are running on a low budget or
producing an incomplete website.  The construction graphic is
extinct!

5. Page Fades
We've all seen those fancy pages that fade in and out, from circles
to spirals and even window-shades.  They fall in the category with
the scrolling text - obsolete!  Most Internet users are looking for
INFORMATION, not fancy graphics and page transitions.
-----------------------

Sponsor

Are you an individual or business that needs a small claims case
filed or needs to have a summons, subpoena, restraining order, or
any other court document served upon another individual or business?

We can help.

Call A.A.A.P.S., Inc. TOLL FREE at 1-888-350-5809
or visit our website www.havepaperswilltravel.com
------------------------

Host Three and Save Continues to Satisfy Webmasters

Our Host Three and Save Special has been a great success!
Webmasters are utilizing this sale to increase their profits and
pass savings onto their clients.  If you are a webmaster looking for
a great hosting deal, this is it!

The process is simple - host three unique sites within 6 months and
get the third site for HALF PRICE!  You can pass that savings onto
your clients or use the savings to increase your marketing budget!

To find out more about this or any other special, click through to
http://www.techlh.com/specials.htm
-------------------------

Custom Scripts and Websites for Increased Productivity

Lighthouse Technologies is becoming a leader in custom-designed web
scripts for businesses.  We've completed some nice website tools for
our clients and are looking for more.  What are some examples of
what we have done?

- Written a service database for a home-security company.  The
database allows the companies technicians and leadership to check on
open tickets and current status of those open accounts.

- Written a custom script for a legal company that displays new jobs
that are available around the country.  The owner can update and
change the current jobs available, as well as upload and notify his
clients when new jobs are available.

Do you need a custom web solution?  Contact us today and make that
great idea a reality!
Our email: sales@...
-----------------------------

FREE Website Hosting

We offer quality hosting for personal and business sites starting at
only $1.29 a month.  This hosting is dependable and offers a TON of
freebies including FREE subdomains, FREE MySQL databases, FREE add-
on scripts, FREE parked domains, and more.

Starting November 1st, we are offering FREE website hosting.  When
you sign up for one year with any of our packages, you get the rest
of 2003 for FREE.  That's right - nearly 14 months for the low price
of only 12 months!

To find out about our hosting packages, click over to
http://www.techlh.com/hosting
-------------------------------

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!  As always, good luck in
your personal and business ventures, both online and offline!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Welcome to all of our new members!  If this newsletter was forwarded
to you from a friend, we would like to invite you to join!  Get web
tips for your business and website.  You can find more information at
http://www.techlh.com/newsletters
-------------------------

Other Browsers

Many people today are tired of the Microsoft software that came
pre-packaged with their operating system.  Some have switched over to
Apple's Macintosh line, but for the most part we just put up with what
we have.  Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) has come under a lot of
fire as of late for several reasons.  Hackers find IE easy to exploit.

These reasons, and many others, have sent Internet users searching for
a new, less bug-prone browser.  Several browsers have topped the
market, and have become quite popular.  So popular, in fact, that
smart web designers use them in testing their new website
functionality.

Opera (www.opera.com) has become my favorite of the 'other browser'
market.  With such subtle things such as mouse gestures, it won me
over.  The newest release works seamlessly with most plug-ins.

Mozilla (www.mozilla.org) and it's slimmed-down partner Mozilla
Firebird are also very popular.  The browser reminds me of the old
Netscape 6.0 but works great for most all web applications and
websites.  It won Best of 2003, Web Browser in a recent PC World
contest.

If you design websites, you should have all three of these on your
desktop, and you should check all your sites with them.  There are
slight differences in the way each processes webpages, and you need to
verify that they all display nicely.
-------------------------

Sponsor

WalMart has announced their new DVD Rentals program!  You can choose
from a HUGE selection of DVDs to rent, and try it FREE for 30 days!
Choose a movie, get it in the mail, watch, and return it postage
pre-paid.  It doesn't get any easier than that.

For more, follow our link directly to their information!
http://www.techlh.com/deals/walmart_dvd.htm
--------------------------

Are you a Work at Home Mom (WAHM)?

Lighthouse Technologies realizes that many families have moms that
work from their home, providing both security for the children and
additional income for the family. Many WAHM's don't have the time
to care for children, run a business, AND get a website up and
going. So we're here to help. We've created a Work at Home Mom
Special for those busy moms. Increase your sales and business
revenue while saving money with a quality website from TECHLH!

Check our our special at http://techlh.com/wahm.htm
---------------------------

Building Your Website to Save You Money

Does your website make you any money?  Does it SAVE you any money?

Websites are more than just marketing tools, out there in Cyber-Land
effortlessly promoting you and your products.  While that's great, why
not use that same website to save yourself some money?

How?  Well, while I don't know your particular situation, I can
provide you with some thought-provoking ideas that you can take back
to your web designer for more input.

Reduce your support costs.

It is often cheaper, easier, and more effective to support customers
over the Internet than through more tradiditonal methods such as
telephone and direct mail.  Services such as instant messaging and
Get1on1 (www.get1on1.com) provide immediate chat facilities to current
and potential customers.

Corporations can support their employees and business partners over
their corporate intranets, keeping them informed and soliciting their
feedback.  Providing documentation for perusal saves time and reduces
labor on your email server.

Providing a map to your location can save your receptionist valuable
minutes on the phone explaining turns and streets, freeing her up for
more important tasks.

Including a forum on your site can bring people of a common industry
or interest together to discuss upcoming events, current problems, and
other interesting ideas and thoughts.  These forums can grow very
large very quickly.  And, in the meantime, your website traffic
increases.  Stick an ad on the forum and bring in more sales from
people that you already know have expressed interest in your industry.

Interested in reading more ways to increase your sales and save money?
  Click over to http://techlh.com/why_web.htm and read our full story
now!
--------------------------

Web Hosting for as low as $1.29

Lighthouse Technologies now offers website hosting for as little as
$1.29 a month.  Named our Blog Hosting package, you can get your
business or blog online today for less than $20 a year.  This is the
best unbranded hosting price you'll find anywhere.

We also offer hosting packages for small business and large
corporations.  Check out all our plan options at
http://techlh.com/hosting/hosting_packages.htm
--------------------------

As always, Lighthouse Technologies thanks you for your interest in our
newsletter, and hope you have a great day! Good luck in your business
ventures, both online and offline!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

Welcome to all of our new members!  If this newsletter was forwarded
to you from a friend, we like to invite you to join!  You can find
more information at http://www.techlh.com/newsletters
--------------------------

Google Tricks

Google has quickly become everyone's favorite search utility.  The
folks at Google are constantly trying to fine-tune their business to
make our lives easier.  They've come up with some great new
utilities to help the small business-person.

Their newest utility is called "Search by Location".  You can search
for generic things such as printing, restaurants, etc. It will
search the Internet for local providers.  Check it out at
http://labs.google.com/location

Google Viewer lets you view your search results and the page that it
found the results on.  It's a mini-player of sorts, playing a little
movie, with the search result displayed at the top of the page, and
the actual page displayed below that.  Personally I didn't care for
this one, it was too confusing and displayed too many things, too
fast.  Decide for yourself at http://labs.google.com/gviewer.html

Don't have a computer handy but need some information?  Google also
has Google Voice Search in development.  Yep, that's right.  Search
the web by phone call.  If you're the kind of person that enjoys
talking to computers, this is for you!
http://labs1.google.com/gvs.html

Want to know more cool utilities that Google has to offer?  Check
out their lab at http://labs.google.com
------------------------

Sponsor

WalMart has announced their new DVD Rentals program!  You can now
choose from a HUGE selection of DVDs to rent, and try it FREE for 30
days!  Choose a movie, Get them in the Mail, Watch, Return them
postage Pre-Paid!  It doesn't get any easier than that!

For more, follow our link directly to their information!
http://www.techlh.com/deals/walmart_dvd.htm
-------------------------

Are you a Work at Home Mom (WAHM)?

Lighthouse Technologies realizes that many families have moms that
work from their home, providing both security for the children and
additional income for the family.  Many WAHM's don't have the time
to care for children, run a business, AND get a website up and
going.  So we're here to help.  We've created a Work at Home Mom
Special for those busy moms.  Increase your sales and business
revenue while saving money with a quality website from TECHLH!

Check our our special at http://techlh.com/wahm.htm
----------------------

Get FREE Web Tips From Your Competition

I knew this one would get your attention.  How can you, the savvy
business Entrepreneur, get FREE ANYTHING from your competition?  The
answer is simple:  Google!

Yes, there are many things that Google can solve.  As listed above,
they are providing their users with endless utilities to help you in
your web search.  So how can they help you with your site?  Watch
this.

Go to Google (http://www.google.com) and type in the following,
exactly as shown, using your business URL in place of the example

link:www.example.com

The results show you a listing of all sites that link to your site.
While chances are your competition will not be listed, you can get
an overview of the 'type' of websites that link to you.  If there
are a bunch of similar sites, that can help you with your marketing
and target advertising in the future.

Now here's where the fun begins.  Now that you know who links to
you, check out the competition.  Put in those guys down the street
who provide the same service you do.

link:www.theirURL.com

Who's linking to them?  Are there some big names listed that you
WISH were linking to you?  You may find out that getting your name
on that list is easier than you thought.  Sometimes a simple email
to the webmaster will get you added to the list.  The more quality
businesses that link to you, the higher your search engine results
climb.

Are there businesses that link to your competition that you didn't
know exist?  Maybe you can get a cheaper rate on parts, or better
service from a vendor on that list.  The possibilities are there,
investigate!

Want another idea?  Go to your competition's website.  Are they
offering a service ONLINE that you only wish you could?  Are they
offering a custom login or other special feature that you don't
have?  Thanks to our custom scripting team, Lighthouse Technologies
can help you provide those items to your customers.  Give them
something that keeps them coming back.  Whether its an online
newsletter, a simple coupon, or other feature, let Lighthouse
Technologies help you get it there.

For more information on our custom work, go to
http://techlh.com/php_examples.htm

Have fun learning from your competition, and good luck on increasing
that bottom line!
------------------------

As always, Lighthouse Technologies thanks you for your interest in
our newsletter, and hope that you have a great week!  Good luck in
your future business ventures, both offline and online!

This is the second part (of two) on Website Mistakes.  Avoid these
mistakes and your site will be steps ahead of your competition.  If
you'd like to read Part One, go to www.techlh.com/newsletters/

6. Orphan Pages
Every website has a heirarchy, a sort of tree that branches out from
the Home Page.  While most of your visitors visit you through your
home page, there are times when a page further down interests
someone, and they may copy that link and send it to a friend.  This
is where you need to pay attention.  That friend may like what you
have to offer, but they can't find out how to contact you, or how to
get back to your Home Page.  That's an orphan page.  Every page on
your site should, at a minimum, have a link back to your Home page.
I would suggest adding a contact link at minimum.

7. Frames
Frames at one time were the talk of the industry.  They were the
original Content Management System (CMS) for your site.  Nowadays
they are few and far between.  If you are designing a site, don't
use frames.  Newer technologies such as server-side includes are
much more common and accepted.  Your pages look fresher and those
silly bars don't get in the way.

8. Disabling the BACK button and excessive Pop-Ups
Have you been to a website and decided that it wasn't the
information you were looking for?  When you clicked the BACK button,
did you suddenly get a barrage of windows (or, pop-ups) to your
dismay?  These things rarely actually work, and worse off, the
reason you hit the BACK button is because you DIDN'T want any more
information from that site.  Don't break the BACK button.  There are
other ways to get your user's attention.

9. Slow loading pages
While personal and hobby sites may normally be slow, there should be
no reason for your business or other professional website to be slow
loading.  Today's Internet surfer won't wait long for information
from your site - there are too many others with the same thing!
Make sure your pages load quickly.  If the server is slow, consider
a different host.  If your webpages are full of applets or large
graphics, consider a page/site redesign.

10.  Using Leading-Edge Technology
While the Internet is all about new and fancy stuff, don't be the
first to do it.  While it may 'look cool' to you, you ultimately
need to decide if it actually enhances your user's experience.  Do
the flashy cartoons make your customer more apt to buy from you?
Probably not.  How many of your customers have to install a Plug-In
just to see your page right?  Do they have to upgrade their browser
to contact you?  Not good.  Wait until the technology is either more
of a standard or gone - you'll save face with potential and future
customers.

Thanks again for reading the 10 Design Mistakes to Avoid.  If you'd
like to contact us about a site redesign, write us at
sales@... or visit our website: www.techlh.com
---------------------------

Sponsor

Have you ever considered starting a day care?
Would you like to stay home with your children?
Would you like to earn extra cash to help out with the expenses?

A friend of mine laughed at his wife's "little kid business" until
she bought him a brand new $30,000 truck for his birthday!

Find out more at http://www.techlh.com/deals/daycare.htm
---------------------------

Host 3 and Save - A Webmaster's Dream!

Are you a master of your domain? Do you own multiple websites? Do
you create websites? Looking to make a few more dollars? Look no
further!

If you host two websites with Lighthouse Technologies, your third
one will be 50% off! Keep the savings for yourself or pass them on
to your customers! All three websites do not have to be registered
at the same time. If you have one or two, and don't expect the next
for a few months, that's fine! We give you a 6 month window from the
time you sign up for the first site to get your other two hosting
plans signed up and ready. All plans require a one year signup.

For hosting information, view our website!
www.techlh.com/hosting/hosting.htm
---------------------------

Create an Automatic Redirection Page
Do you have a new URL?  Were you hosting your site with a FREE ad-
driven host and now you have your own site?  Some of your visitors
may be unaware of your new site URL, others may have bookmarked your
site. You need to let then know that you have moved.

With a simple redirection script, you can send them to the new site,
and make them aware of the change.  Consider our following example:

"We have moved to our new domain. You are being automatically
redirected. If you are not redirected in X seconds, please follow
this link: http://www.mynewurl.com.  If you preciously bookmarked
this page, please update it to the new URL."

To install the automatic redirection feature, paste the following
HTML code in the <HEAD> tag of the redirection page:

<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=REFRESH CONTENT="X;URL=http://www.mynewurl.com">
</HEAD>

where X is the number of seconds before the visitor is automatically
redirected, and http://www.mynewurl.com is the new domain.

It is recommended that you set X to about 5 seconds, to giving
visitors time to read and understand what is happening.

By following this simple tip, you will be able to move your site to
your own domain, and your visitors will automatically follow you.
-------------------------

Want to do something really cool with your website, but don't know
how?  Need a custom script or database driven site?  We can help.
Check out our new Custom Services listed on our Home Page
(www.techlh.com).
-------------------------

As always, Lighthouse Technologies thanks you for your interest in
our newsletter, and hope you have a great week!  Good luck in your
future business ventures, both online and offline!

In both of this month's newsletters we are going to examine Ten
Design Mistakes to Avoid for your Website.  Avoid these mistakes and
your site will be steps ahead of your competition.

1. Not planning your site
Before you even have a website, you must have an idea, a focus.  Why
do you want a website?  What are your plans and goals for the site?
Sit down and draw out a map of possible pages and ideas for your
site.  Include your site's purpose --whether it is to sell more
product or make the public more aware of your issue -- whatever it
may be.  Build your site from it's strong foundation (your goals)
and you'll have a better, more solid site.

2. Failing to put contact information in a plainly seen location.
This could be disastrous.  If a customer doesn't see this
information, they can't contact you.  You should consider a 'Contact
Us' button or link from your Home page.  Even better, make a link to
your email address in your header or footer, somewhere that will
show up on every page.  Even if no one ever contacts you this way,
just the presence of this information comforts edgy customers.

3.  Broken Links
Do you enjoy clicking on a search result only to get a Page Not
Found Error?  No one likes them.  Check your site statistics at
least once a month (if not more) to make sure you don't have bad or
broken links.

4. Outdated Information
A sure turn-off to a potential customer is the presence of old
information.  If it's July and your website is announcing the 'new'
products available in February, your site just lost major
credibility.  Make sure your information is up-to-date.  Consider
adding a 'Whats New' button or a Business Blog.

5. Too Many Font Styles and Colors
This is a huge pet-peeve of my company.  I've had people ask me to
review their website and the first thing I notice is 4 different
fonts.  It looks bad, unorganized and unappealing.  Different colors
may attract the eye for a short time, but constant flashing or
otherwise bright fonts (and graphics!) become annoying.  Beware,
this is a sure-fire way to scare people away from your site!

See some mistakes in your website that need repair?  Let Lighthouse
Technologies help you get your website running smooth!
Write to us at help@...

Join us again next month for the other 5 web-site killers!
---------------------

Sponsor
Get your company noticed in this newsletter by being a Featured
Sponsor.  Our new lower pricing will get the word out to potential
customers!  Our Featured Business slot is now only $8 per issue or
$15/month (2 issues).  First come, first served!
---------------------

Announcement
Because of a change in our Yahoo! Groups subscription process, many
of you may be getting this newsletter for the first time, even if
you subscribed months ago.  We apologize for this occurance, and are
proud to have you as a new member!

If you no longer desire to receive this email in your email, you can
unsubscribe at the address below.  You can also always read our
newsletters on our website.  www.techlh.com/newsletters
---------------------

Host 3 and Save - A Webmaster's Dream!

Are you a master of your domain? Do you own multiple websites? Do
you create websites? Looking to make a few more dollars? Look no
further.

If you host two websites with Lighthouse Technologies, your third
one will be 50% off! Keep the savings for yourself or pass them on
to your customers! All three websites do not have to be registered
at the same time. If you have one or two, and don't expect the next
for a few months, that's fine! We give you a 6 month window from the
time you sign up for the first site to get your other two hosting
plans signed up and ready. All plans require a one year signup.

For hosting information, view our website!
----------------------

Filtering Email to Your Advantage

If you are a busy entrepreneur, or just like to keep up with your
email, setting up a filter could greatly help you in your business.
Consider these ideas:

* Add a filter that contacts you when new mail comes in from certain
email addresses.

* Set one for important messages to be forwarded to your cell phone.

* Create a reminder email for important events, and have that email
sent URGENT to yourself.

* If you get recurring emails that you want to keep but don't need
to read, make a filter that automatically dumps them into a
subfolder.  Then they are out of your InBox, they are still there if
you need to access them, and you've saved a ton of time.
--------------------------

Want to do something really cool with your website, but don't know
how?  Need a custom script or database?  We can help.  Check out our
new Custom Services listed on our Home Page (www.techlh.com)
--------------------------

As always, Lighthouse Technologies thanks you for your interest in
our newsletter, and hope you have a great day!  Good luck in your
business ventures, both online and offline!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com

There are obvious choices when it comes to promoting your business
online.  You've got to have your keywords and description tags in
order.  Submitting your site to Google and Yahoo! is a MUST!

Other online ventures include link swapping, virtual networking and
newsletters.

Link swapping is just that.  You swap your link with someone else.
It's best to find someone who would complement your business and ask
them for a reciprocal link.  (It would be smart to have a LINKS page
off of your home page!)  An example would be a dog breeder swapping
with a dog food company.  They are not competing, but they can help
each other out.  One will result in business for the other.
Advertising on cheap sites and newsletters can bring in customers,
too.

Virtual Networking is a somewhat new concept.  Recently large
websites such as Ryze (www.ryze.com) and Friendster (www.friendster)
have caused quite a stir.  While joining the local Chamber of
Commerce is a great way to network, so is virtual networking.
Joining a common network of entrepreneurs can benefit your business
with referrals and clients.  You can view our webpage at
www.ryze.com/go/techlh

Newsletters are another great online (and offline!) way to promote
your website.  What better way to stay in touch with customers and
possible clients than to provide a once-a month or so update about
your business.  Make sure to provide some tips and ideas that help
their business or they will have no reason to sign up.  Make it
interesting.  Also, make sure you have an archive of your past
newsletters on your website, in case someone wants to read through
them.

Offline promotion techniques include clubs and organizations,
advertising, and guerilla marketing.

Joining the local Chamber of Commerce, the Jaycees, the Kiwanis, or
any other organization can be a good way to put a face to the
business, and pass out business cards.  A casual acquaintance today
may refer a customer to you in six months.  You never know.

Advertising offline in local publications can reap results.
Bartering your time or expertise in exchange for flyers placed in
local restaurants is a great way to get your site known.  Recently I
gave Papa John's Pizza some advertising in exchange for 2000 flyers
attached to their pizza boxes!

While I don't have much time to go into Guerilla Marketing, I will
attempt to briefly explain.  Guerilla marketing is, in short,
marketing your site in 'odd' ways, sometimes to the point that
people don't realize you are even promoting yourself.

During a recent city watermain break, streets were closed and
traffic was a mess.  A local diner offered free food to the workers
fixing the line.  He also called the media and made sure they knew
what he was doing.  The ensuing press and attention boosted his
sales significantly.

Offering an outrageous deal may work, too.  A steakhouse in Texas
offers a 22oz. steak FREE to anyone who can finish it.  Word spread
quickly about that deal and the customers came in.

Have a few minutes?  Go to your local library and find books related
to your business.  Put business cards in the pages for the next
reader.

However you promote your website and business, do it with the utmost
care.  Remember, you may be at Home Depot yelling at your kids when
a possible client sees you in the plumbing aisle.  They may make up
their mind about you depending on what they see...
-----------------------------

Sponsor
Get your company noticed here by advertising in our newsletter.
Price as low as $15/month. Advertise on ArnoldLink.com,
FentonLink.com or FestusLink.com and get 1 month FREE advertising in
our newsletter!
----------------------------

Host 3 and Save - A Webmaster's Dream!

Are you a master of your domain? Do you own multiple websites? Do
you create websites? Looking to make a few more dollars? Look no
further.

If you host two websites with Lighthouse Technologies, your third
one will be 50% off! Keep the savings for yourself or pass them on
to your customers! All three websites do not have to be registered
at the same time. If you have one or two, and don't expect the next
for a few months, that's fine! We give you a 6 month window from the
time you sign up for the first site to get your other two hosting
plans signed up and ready. All plans require a one year signup.

For hosting information, view our website!
------------------------------

Recent Security Issues Force Upgrade of Client's sites

If you are a client of Lighthouse Technologies and have a feedback
form on your site, we've recently upgraded your mail script.  While
this will not affect your website addresses in any way, we
considered it necessary to report to you.

The security issue is found in a script that we use called
FormMail.  We've updated to the latest version of the script and
have implemented them on your site.

While the change is transparent to everyone, if you notice anything
odd or different, please contact us immediately.
-------------------------------

As always, I hope you have a great day today.  Good luck in your
business ventures, both online and offline!

Will Hanke
Lighthouse Technologies
www.techlh.com