Essential
Software
By Shelley Lowery
An essential
part of running a successful internet marketing business is
quality software. Software will play a major roll in your
success. You must be willing to invest in the software you'll
need to assist you in running your business.
Email Program
The first
and most important software you'll need is a quality email program.
Although most Internet Service
Providers include email accounts for their customers, these
accounts aren't adequate for an internet marketing business
--
especially if you get a large amount of email. Not only dothe
email addresses contain your ISP's name, but they are also very
limited on features and options.
There are
many email programs available on the Internet. However, the
best program I've found is Eudora. Eudora is a standalone email
program that works with any ISP. It will enable you to easily
organize your email by filtering your messages into specific
mailboxes. This feature alone can save you a great deal of time.
What's more, your email address will be your own domain -- not
someone else's.
Eudora
http://www.eudora.com
Mailing
List Software
Collecting
your visitors' email address is one of the most important parts
of developing a successful internet marketing business. You
must develop a database of potential customers if you truly
want to succeed. Publishing an ezine is a great way to accomplish
this. In order to do so, you must have a good mailing list program
that will enable you to send your potential customers personalized
messages.
Mailing
List Software:
Mailloop
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=ml
Group Mail
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=gm
If you're
using a software program that resides on your computer, you'll
also need a good form processing script to
enable your visitors to subscribe:
Master Form
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=wm2
If you're
an American Online customer, you won't be able to use a software
program that runs on your computer. You'll need to use a program
that runs with your web browser.
OptIn Lightning
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=oil2
@News Wizard
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=nw
HTML Editor
Your website
is the storefront of your business and is one of the most important
factors in determining your success. In order to design your
website, you'll need to get a good HTML editor.
Coffee Cup
http://www.coffeecup.com/editor/
DreamWeaver
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/
HotDog
http://www.sausagetools.com/
HomeSite
http://www.allaire.com/Products/HomeSite
Microsoft
Frontpage
http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage
Before you
begin the actual design process, I highly recommend that you
download and install two web browsers --
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. These are the two
most widely used browsers on the Internet. However, they are
not created equally. Your page might look great when viewed
through Internet Explorer, but may not display well when viewed
through Navigator. It is very important that you view your website
through both browsers, and design your pages accordingly.
Internet
Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp
Netscape
Navigator
http://home.netscape.com/computing/download/index.html
Graphics
Editor
Graphic
design is an intimidating subject for many Internet entrepreneurs.
However, most of us must learn some basic design techniques
in order to avoid the high costs of hiring a professional designer.
In order
to create or edit your graphics, you'll need to invest in a
good graphics program. The most popular program
used by Internet marketers is Paint Shop Pro. This powerful
program is the only program you'll need to design
professional looking graphics.
Paint Shop
Pro
http://www.jasc.com/
Zip/Unzip
Program
Zip files
are used to compress and transport file archives over the Internet.
It is the preferred method used for
electronic file distribution, as rather than downloading several
different files, you can simply download one Zip
file. In addition, the download time will be minimized, as the
files within the Zip archive are compressed.
Once a Zip
file is downloaded, it can be easily opened and extracted (unzipped)
with a Zip/Unzip software program.
Although
there are many Zip software programs available on the Internet,
WinZip is the most popular. WinZip makes
working with file archives simple.
WinZip
http://www.winzip.com/download.htm
FTP Program
File Transfer
Protocol, better known as FTP, is a procedure used to upload
and download files to and from your web
server.
In order
to use FTP, you'll need to download and install a software program
on your computer. The most widely used FTP program is WS FTP
Pro.
WS FTP
http://www.wsftp.com
Text Editor
Text editors
have a variety of uses such as writing HTML, editing scripts,
and writing ezine articles -- just to name
a few. NotePad is an excellent text editor and is most likely
already installed on your computer. However, it can't
handle large files and is better suited for smaller files. You
may find that you'd like an editor that is a little more
powerful. I use a great program called NoteTab Pro. This powerful
editor will enable you to edit large files, format
your text, convert your text to HTML, and even includes a spellchecker
and thesaurus.
NoteTab
Pro
http://www.notetab.com/
Ad Tracking
Testing
and tracking your marketing strategies is an essential part
of your success. I recommend using a great
script called LnkinLite. It's simple to use and will assist
you in tracking all of your strategies.
LnkinLite
http://www.dtp-aus.com/cgiscript/lnkinlte.shtml
Financial
Management
In order
to keep track of your business financial matters, you'll need
to invest in a good financial management
software. The best program I've found is Quicken.
Quicken
http://www.quicken.com
Tax Program
Filing your
taxes and keeping up with the ever-changing tax laws can be
very intimidating. However, if you keep good records and use
a good tax program, you can file your taxes with ease. I highly
recommend using Turbo Tax. This great program will make the
process a lot easier and even enable you to file your taxes
electronically. What's more, it will even allow you to import
your Quicken files.
Turbo Tax
http://www.turbotax.com
Although
this list of software is far from complete, it will provide
you with a basic guideline to get you started.
If you're
serious about your business and you really want to succeed,
purchasing software is an absolute must. Do your homework and
select software that best suits your needs. It will be well
worth the investment.
Copyright
© Shelley Lowery 2002.
About
the Author:
Shelley
Lowery is the author of Web Design Mastery - An in-depth guide
to professional web design. And, Ebook Starter - A complete
ebook design kit. Subscribe to Etips and receive a free copy
of the highly acclaimed ebook, "Killer InternetMarketing
Strategies."
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