• Intro
  
• Survey Results
  
• Interview: Hal Alpiar - What kind of site should I build?
  
• Feedback
  
• The Office Corner
  
• Free Stuff
  
• Grammar Question of the Month: Salutations
  
• Tech Tips: Claudia Slate - Thunder and lightning precautions
  
• Tech Corner
  
• Writing Corner
  
• Trivia
  
• Word of the Month: Stet
  
• Recommendations
  
• Judy's Corner
  

Get ready! This issue is jam-packed with things just for you. I hope something touches each of you, and makes a difference in your ability to communicate at a higher level. And I hope you have fun along the way.

* WORDTIPS is an ezine geared toward all Microsoft Word user levels. Some tips are geared toward beginners, while others are geared toward long-time Microsoft Word users. Regardless of your expertise, every tip is designed to help you master Microsoft Word. I enjoyed it so much I decided to review Allan Wyatt's book, Word 2002 Beginner's Guidebook. Everything the novice needs to learn to use Word 2002.
[LINK NO LONGER VALID]

Due to the quality of this resource, I will offer Word 2002 Beginner's Guidebook as an alternative to Janet Attard's book.

* THE WINNER of Janet Attard's "The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book" for May is Phil Boudrot, President of Professional Programming Services, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Congratulations, Phil!

Want a chance to win a book? Go to http://www.ossweb.com/freebook.html And don't give up. If your name isn't chosen, sign up the following month.

RESULTS FROM THE LAST SURVEY reveal that people still hate pop-ups, pop-unders, and pop-anythings. I'll be launching a new survey later this week to ask about how you hook up to the Internet. I'm still using the equivalent of Pony Express (modem), but the price is right and I'm not ready to move to the next level. Love to hear from you.
http://www.ossweb.com/survey-index.html

PART 3 OF 3 - WHAT KIND OF SITE SHOULD I BUILD?

Q. How interactive do you think most small business websites should be in order to be competitive (interactive vs. putting up a site that acts as little more than a brochure)?

A. It depends on the business. The vast majority of websites are nothing more than fancy brochures. But in many cases, that's okay. It works. I used a very elaborate "fancy brochure" website for many years, and it worked fine because I used it AS a brochure and urged prospects to check it out for whatever they wanted to know about my business.

I wasn't selling a product (which I think does most often call for an interactive site), and the service I was selling (customized management and marketing consulting) had nothing to gain by the inclusion of interactive dynamics. I didn't want more than 5-6 good clients at a time because I couldn't service them. I had plenty of leads, so the site was simply there as an information piece and to provide a level of credibility.

Now, I just use a billboard-style homepage (www.a-businessworks.com), and it still more than serves my purposes. Yet--in my consulting role--I will often recommend that clients develop full-blown, interactive sites with a strong sales conversion focus (because it's appropriate for THEM).

The answer to the question has more to do with what it is that you want and expect to get from your website. Some individuals and organizations want lots of activity and "play" on their sites. Some want it to be their retail store, or support a bricks and mortar location. Others simply want a degree of presence. Others want a place to point people to for additional background information. Sometimes interactive dynamics are called for and even necessary. Other times, they're not.

"Competitive" is in the eyes of the beholder. I have never seen a business in 25 years that I consider to be "competitive" to the services my firm provides because I know no one else can deliver exactly what we deliver in the manner in which we deliver. No one else is "we" and our interpretation of "customized" goes far beyond any other version we've ever been exposed to.

So the short story is that I believe you can be competitive and have any kind of website. It depends on the nature of your business, and how willing you are to be entrepreneurially different.

CREDIT: Originator of the terms, Corporate Entrepreneurship(tm), Educational Entrepreneurship(tm), and Doctorpreneurs(tm), Hal Alpiar taught college courses and ran hundreds of training workshops with corporate executives, teachers and physicians. Today, Author / Consultant / Entrepreneur and CEO of BUSINESSWORKS Management & Marketing Specialists, Alpiar consults with corporations and speaks at events like the International Internet Marketing Conference. Web site: http://www.a-businessworks.com

1. FROM MERLE: As a subscriber to your ezine I thought you may be interested in a new free e-book I just released one on how to write better ezine ads. Ezine advertising is a great way to hit your target market but your ad needs to grab the reader's attention and pull them in. This free report that will tell you how to write award winning ads.
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf (PDF File)
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.zip (Zip Version)

Merle - http://www.MerlesWorld.com
An Online Entrepreneur Since 1998 sharing knowledge as an Author, Consultant and Ezine Publisher. Merle's Mission-Freebies for Webmasters and More...

2. FROM MICHAEL KNOWLES: Just read the May issue of Communication Expressway and I enjoyed it very much. Nice job -- I'm going to feature your e-zine in next Monday's WriteThinking resource. Just wanted to let you know. Keep up the good work!

Michael Knowles - http://www.writethinking.net/
Writer and Publisher
The WriteThinking Newsletter

3. FROM KATHY PODOLSKI: I always love reading your newsletter. I know how much WORK goes into putting one together, so I wanted to let you know that there are always a few links that are provided that are helpful for me (and other links are helpful to others).

Kathy Podolski, BS, Animal Health Technician
http://www.naturaldogtreats.com - Natural Choice K-9 Cookies: ALL natural dog treats made ONLY from organic ingredients, and registered with the USDA

4. FROM JUNE YEAP: Just a quick note to say thank you for such a wonderful newsletter. I really appreciate that you've taken the time to pack your newsletter with useful info, links and updates.

June Yeap - http://www.instantebizsaver.com/
"If you buy biz tools anywhere else, you're spending TOO MUCH!"

5. FROM DAVID GEER: Just a short note to say that your zine's a great read ...top to bottom.

David Geer - http://EzineListBuilder.com/ri.html
Discover this uniquely pictorial process to creating an effective advertisement or sales letter. There's nothing else like it on the market.

1. SMALL BUSINESS CLASSROOM: Free resources for training and informing entrepreneurs and other students of enterprise. It is a new--easy to use-- dimension in entrepreneurial learning. Course categories include Business Development, Certification, Financing, eCommerce, Entrepreneurship, and Procurement Opportunities.
http://www.sba.gov/classroom/

2. STANDS FOR: A source for acronyms and abbreviations.
http://www.stands4.com/

3. LETTER OF INTENT VS. COVER LETTER

Q. How does a letter of intent used for a job application differ from a cover letter? My client is asking for one and I'm clueless.

A. A letter of Intent is basically a document outlining someone's intentions. Think along the lines of an agreement versus a letter. So, while a cover letter is just that, a Letter of Intent should be in the form of an Agreement, and you can have a cover letter stating that attached is a Letter of Intent, if they have any questions, etc., etc.

Terri Lee Romine IVAA Certified Virtual Assistant (IVAA CVA) aka The InnoVAtive Coach - www.innovativecoach.com

4. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SERVICE MARK AND TRADEMARK

Q. What's the difference between a Service Mark (SM) and a Trademark (TM)?

A. A service mark is--legally--a trademark, and distinguishes services from goods. A a trademark may be for either goods or services. For a more detailed explanation of trademarks and how and where to use them, go to http://www.4trademark.com/faqs.html.

FREE BOOK! Subscribers are eligible to sign up to win a free copy of "The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book: Solutions to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Easter egg Starting and Running Home Offices and Small Businesses" by Janet Attard. Sign up once a month at http://www.ossweb.com/freebook.html - Winners announced here!

FREE DICTIONARY! Webgrammar offers all site visitors the chance to win a free Webster's dictionary, each month. Sign up! www.webgrammar.com/contest.html

Q. When using a salutation where you are addressing 3 people, two of whom are male and have the same last name, what is proper?

A. The Gregg Reference Manual doesn't speak to the exact situation you mention. It touches only on parts of it.

Here's what I would use:
Dear Angela Allen, John P. Jones, and Franklin M. Jones:

If it were very formal, possibly:
Dear Ms. Allen and Gentlemen: (Or Dear Gentlemen and Ms. Allen:)

If it were casual, we could say:
Yo, Angie, Johnny, and Frankie: (or should that be Frankie and Johnny?)

The "given" is that both men's names are in the inside address. Any comments from subscribers?

Thunder and Lightning Precautions

Folks it is still spring in much of our country despite the fact that some spots are already experiencing temps in the 100s and summer has not officially started. With spring, comes thunderstorms. With thunderstorms comes lightning. So here is a word of advice:

I don't care how good your UPS is, if you are in an environment where you do not have layers of protection from lightening strikes, such as a big downtown building, at that first crack of thunder start shutting your system down and as soon as possible, UNPLUG EVERYTHING from the wall sockets - EVEN THE UPS if you want to protect that investment.

And do not forget the PHONE LINES. Unplug any and all phone lines from your modems and answering machines. Electricity can pass very quickly through phone lines and LIGHTNING CAN FRY YOUR MODEM AND COMPUTER THROUGH THE PHONE LINES AS EASILY AS IT CAN THROUGH THE POWER CORDS.

I have personally seen two computers fried because folks unplugged the power cords but thought nothing about unplugging the phone lines. Many of you have surge protectors that also have outlets for your phone connections.

While those are certainly not bad ideas, they may not stop a strong lightening hit. So even if they offer the insurance coverage, will the hassle and time it takes to collect on all of that and get a system replaced be worth the risk? Think about the downtime you would have from that. Better to shut down, unplug and read a book for a while, than deal with the after-effects of a lightening strike.

Claudia Slate - Dakota Technics (605)747-4391
clslate@dakotatechnics.com - www.dakotatechnics.com
Access and FileMaker Pro Databases
Excel Spreadsheet Solutions
Defining the Data Your Business Depends On

1. USER SATISFACTION KEY TO DRAWING REGULAR VISITORS
Read the results of this survey to learn what makes visitors return. It's one of the reasons I began putting feedback forms on my site, and will continue to have a more interactive site. Always using www.willmaster.com, because they offer excellent products and customer service.
http://www.nua.com/surveys/index.cgi?f=VS&art_id=905357937&rel=true

2. TEXT, HTML AND RICH MEDIA:
Which Format Works for E-Mail Marketing?
http://www.emarketer.com/estatnews/estats/email_marketing/20020513_opt.html

3. HOW MAGNETIC RAM WILL WORK
Magnetic RAM could begin to replace both dynamic RAM and Flash memory as soon as 2004. Find out all about MRAM and why it beats out current memory technology.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/mram.htm

4. RELEVANT TOOLS
Those of you who can't have cgi-bins and live in terror of having to manage a feedback form...and those looking at email management...and those needing online databases have another option. This company offers free membership for a month, which should give you enough time to see if your business will increase by using their tools.
http://www.relevanttools.com/

5. CREATING TEMPLATE WITH LOCKED FIELDS (WORD 2000)

Q. How can I create a template where I make lines next to a word, and be able to then go back in and write on the lines with no problems.

A. Set the form field options. By clicking on the form field, you can change the font, underline, bold, and so on. This information can be found in the Creating Forms section of Help. You can lock the forms, and so on. Bring up your Forms toolbar for easy access. (It's not generally on view unless you've set it up that way.)

Kathy Ritchie, MVA - Ritchie Secretarial Service
303-873-1696 Office or 877-317-1942 Toll-Free Pager
P.S. Geography is no boundary!
Complete - Virtual - Office Assistance - we're what you need!
http://www.thebestva.com mailto:kritchie@thebestva.com

1. WHAT ARE RESEARCH REPORTS AND WHY WOULD I WRITE ONE?
The Online Writing Lab at Purdue says: "Engineers, scientists, and managers write research reports to communicate the results of research, field work, and other activities." It then walks you through the steps of writing such a report. It also offers a link to General Technical Writing Guidelines that are super for any kind of writing.
[LINK NO LONGER VALID]

2. IF YOU CAN'T WRITE, DON'T:
Frank, helpful article for website owners, written by Bob McElwain.
http://sitetipsandtricks.com/new/statnews.html#A

3. TIPS AND RESOURCES:
A page for authoring tools: FrameMaker, WebWorks Publisher, and RoboHelp. Good site for technical writers, Help authors, and other information developers.
[LINK NO LONGER VALID]

4. AP STYLEBOOK NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA THE WEB FOR $20/YEAR
I just got word that you can get this fantastic book online. I believe they only cost $12.50 from their site, but look at the options:

The Online Edition (http://www.apstylebook.com/) includes these features:

• You can add your notes and examples to AP Stylebook entries.
• Create your own custom entries to build a personalized stylebook.
• It's fully searchable, including your notes and entries.
• You'll have instant access to AP style changes and new entries.

Individual online subscriptions are available now for $20 a year.
http://www.apbookstore.com/apstyle/apstylon.html

1. MAKE-STUFF.COM:
If you love to make things, if you constantly have a project going in a back room, or cluttering up a kitchen counter, if you start making Christmas presents in June and you watch all those do-it-yourself shows on TV, you'll love this site! All kinds of recipes, formulas, craft projects and ideas.
http://www.make-stuff.com/

2. MARVELS & TALES:
Journal of fairy tale studies presented by Wayne State University Press. Central forum for the multidisciplinary study of fairy tales. In its pages, contributors from around the globe have published studies, texts, and translations of fairy-tales from Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa.
http://www.langlab.wayne.edu/MarvelsHome/Marvels_Tales.html

3. EASTER EGG:
Want to win a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com? This isn't a recommendation for another site: it's a test to see who's digging in and reading THIS e-zine. The first person to find the words "Easter egg" in this issue and send an e-mail to easteregg@ossweb.com, gets the gift certificate.
http://thisisafakewebaddress.com

4. NATIONAL ANTHEM MIDIS, LYRICS AND WORLD FLAGS:
Multiple midi versions of hundreds of national anthems with lyrics to most, flags from 10 different sets.
http://www.laurasmidiheaven.com/International/anthems-r.shtml

5. D RIVER STATE PARK: SHORTEST RIVER IN THE WORLD
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_214.php

In editing language, it means that the editor made a correction, then thought better of it. Stet means to leave it as it was originally.

1. SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE, CD-ROM 2002:
Developed by IRS and SBA. Order Up to 5 Copies for Free.
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/display/0,,i1%3D2%26i2%3D23%26genericId%3D7128,00.html

2. WEBMASTERWORLD:
Site for webmasters with a focus on search engine optimization and technology.
http://www.webmasterworld.com

3. NONPROFIT INDEX:
By subject.
[LINK NO LONGER VALID]

4. FREE ONLINE COURSES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON:
Business Communications, The American Civil War, Energy, Diet and Weight, Greek Mythology, Gulliver's Travels, Hamlet, HTML Basics, History of Jazz: New Orleans, The American Revolution, Shakespeare's Comedies, Heroic Fantasy: Tolkien, World War II
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/openuw/

5. TINY URL is TOO COOL!
It takes long URLs from your site and converts them to tiny ones. I plugged in http://www.ossweb.com/ez-ezine-template.html - and it came up with http://tinyurl.com/9ll. Many people use it because it hides affiliate links, but methinks savvy people will know when they look in the Address Bar! Still, there are creative uses for this if you're stuck with long URLS that might break up in a text ezine or email message. Comments?
http://tinyurl.com/

1. There was a lot of response from the April issue, which gives me the chance to showcase some of your businesses. It gives us all the chance to read more reports, visit other sites, and subscribe to other ezines. Merle's tutorial on writing ad copy is powerful, and I've already subscribed to Michael Knowles's ezine for writers. Kathy Podolski is a client and personal friend. Love her ezines for dog owners.

2. I have a brand new feature on ossweb.com, and I invite you to try it or share it with others. It's an ezine template for newbies or procrastinators. I'll write an article later about how it all came about. Ez-ezine Template has had coverage in LangaList.com, and Chris Pirillo will feature it soon in a number of his Lockergnome.com publications. B.L. Ochman has endorsed it in her powerful ezine, What's Next Online (http://www.whatsnextonline.com) for June 5.

Guys and gals, it's all about networking. Seeing possibilities. Making friends. Studying sites. Doing something about it. Helping others. A key player is Claudia Slate, who saw how this template could help hundreds of people who might otherwise not have the courage to start an ezine. She contacted Langa, Pirillo, and Jack Teems, endorsing the product. I spent $150, which paid for Willmaster's Master Form, and a creative CGI designer who came up with the idea, installed the program, and got it running. I refined it. More on it in the next issue. It'll be a "how to" kind of article.
And here's the URL: http://www.ossweb.com/ez-ezine-template.html

ARCHIVES FOR ALL COMMUNICATION EXPRESSWAY ISSUES
http://www.ossweb.com/ezine-archive-index.html

Questions, comments, recommendations?
Contact Judy Vorfeld at www.ossweb.com.contact.html

TO SUBSCRIBE TO COMMUNICATION EXPRESSWAY
go to http://www.ossweb.com/ezine.html