comments

Agreed. This is one of the many reasons I stopped using GoDaddy. They follow EVERY support call with a survey, plus they ask you to fill it out at the end of the call. Ug!

In my Website Feature List article I just called it a checklist, because 29 (plus 13 bonus predictions) just seemed to cumbersome ;)

http://biznik.com/articles/choosing-your-website-features-a-checklist-from-hell

Looks amazing! I might highlight the "Order Online" icon and title to pop from the rest of them. They they can follow their eye right. Since this feature is the unique thing you're offering it'd be good to stand out.

Looks great and useful. However, I'm going to forgo the event and use the time as you've instructed :)

It's most like group SMS text messages... online.

You should try www.swaggle.mobi It's actually more useful.

I'm a Drupal person who uses modules for client site development all the time. It's definitely important to realize just what you're getting for free and do what you can to help the open-source community you are "taking from." I wrestle with that. My business definitely leans toward strongly recommending community supported open-source solutions, but you're quite right that offering open-source "bundles" as your own creation is dangerous ethical territory.

I've been on twitter for a few years now, just waiting for it to become useful (with faith.) Just 3 months ago a surge of non-tech people flooded on, so I've been excited to see where it's going.

It does have a purpose, but find that among the noise is the current challenge... but that's true for the whole web right now.

I started a side project http://iheartsea.com which includes grabbing twitters. That noise, plus blog posts and flickr images... makes up the digital representation of the place we live. Not sure how to get it right yet. Would love suggestions and thoughts.

I'll certainly be in the area celebrating.

Thanks for this event. I learned a lot from you and the other participant. You modeled good event practices as we discussed others. Great, awesome and recommended.

This looks quite good. Would you mind allowing one more spot?

This looks good. Please let me know when the next one comes around.

Here is my 2008 lessons learned...

Josh's Freelance Rule to Live By (on Biznik)

Josh's Freelance Rule to Live By (on ReadyDone)

About to instigate a second twitter backlash. Who's with me?

Might I also recommend http://posterous.com/ for an ultra easy way to post your stuff.

I've chosen to run from tag lines kicking and screaming. Often you feel like changing them month to month. If you've managed to create a concrete one for the organization, then your departments are creating their own... which change. At ReadyDone we decide to poke fun at the whole concept... with a rotating set of tag lines that changes every 4 seconds. http://readydone.com/

How is it possible for me to agree more? It's not.

I especially connect with the "free stuff." I think it's vital to build relationships with components/projects in your business/life you've generated for fun and learning.

Develop some talking points, make real relationships and enter a community.

It's funny that Squidoo can just come up with the name Lens when (it appears to me) you're just letting users create a blog and posts.

But really a blog, composed of posts, is really just a chronological web site anyway; just more chopped up and accessable. All of these things are repackaging the fact that posting quality information, with solid contextual linking, and getting it in front of more people, via more networks... means more readers... more connections.

Thanks for this overview of some of the premier places to get connected if the web is relatively overwhelming. I have an addendum or two for your post.

StumbleUpon Like many sites, this is a way to bookmark and tag what various websites are about. The bookmark itself serves as a link back, which is an extra boost of legitimacy in the eyes of Google, Yahoo, etc.

Any time your site gets a link to it you're getting a little more street cred, which is a chief way search engines evaluate what to point to when someone clicks Search.

Facebook Groups, Google Pages, etc Creating these things, and making a post anywhere, does three things for you-- it simply provides another place for your content to be viewed, it places you inside another network that may provide more clients, and it's another strand in your overall web of online presence improve your online "ranking."

The size of the network you join and name attached to it does determine the boon you will gain, but they're all basically doing the same thing for you. And actually a better chosen smaller network can sometimes be a better move. Exhibit A: Biznik.

Actually, for some techie type SEO advice you could visit my recent blog post. ReadyDone > Blog > Search Engine Cheat Sheet

Way to live by your own recommendations. I've been disappointed by using listing boards and other non-engaging ways of finding help and clients. This article reminded me again that teaching, learning, and sharing is the best way to grow your business and support the talented people around you.

Wholeheartedly agree.

Taking the step to give yourself the legitimacy of using professional help is part of manifesting your idea into a business, an organization, an entity.

Treat your venture with respect. Decide what level you'd like to play at. Cheap signs are fine if you're a used car outlet.

It's true everyone needs an attitude check in. With a defeatist mindset you're sunk! It's important to remember how awesome your skills are and only give them to those that fit the bill.

I'm sorry, but I'm rather tired of this article. I've read it over and over at every advice/community site on the web. Examples from cinema: Boiler Room speech-- "Act as if," and American Beauty-- "to be successful, one must project an aura of success." (I generally don't take the advice of Ben Aflec. Especially when he's portraying an asshole.) I whole-heartedly AGREE that one needs to value one's skills... actively envision your path to raise your odds of success. But when was that ever wasn't in question?Sorry to be the critic. But I suppose, on third thought, there are plenty of people out there with really crappy attitudes of: derserving, poor me, someone else with fix it, holier than thou, etc. So I suppose there's room to espouse.