It’s time for an honest assessment of something that is near and dear to you.

This may not be easy, so grab yourself a drink and settle into the nearest chair.

You’re going to need some quiet time, and you’re going to need to be real with yourself.

So turn off your cell phone, shut the door, and assure yourself that you can handle the truth.

I’m going to ask you an  important question.

Ready?

How many times since you first launched your Website have you refreshed the look of it?

If your answer is “Maybe Once or Twice”, or “Didn’t Know I Needed To” – take a big fat gulp of that drink.

In fact, maybe you should just finish that one – and pour yourself another.

You’re going to need it, because here it is:

The World Wide Web is not just sitting there while you ignore the most important part of your marketing arsenal. The Internet is continuously evolving.

It is constantly moving forward, and if you aren’t moving forward with it – then you and your Business are getting further and further behind.

Internet-savvy customers expect websites to be fresh, simple to navigate, easy to read, and full of informative, interactive content for them to engage with.

If your website is none of these things, people will likely just move on to one that is.

So, if your “website” looks like a relic from the Internet’s Stone Age – then it is a relic from the Stone Age – a dinosaur.

An outdated few pages on the Web is a “website” in as much as Fred Flintstone’s feet are the “engine” of his car.

Sites with bizarre color schemes, cheesy music, and blinking smilies are an indication of neglect – with the potential to scare your visitors away.

Thanks to Google, Yahoo, MSN and countless other search engines – imagine how many people everyday can simply stumble upon your website needing exactly the products or services you offer.

What will your website say about you and your business when they arrive there?

That you don’t know how to use a spell-checker? That a microscope will be required to read it? That “news” to you means everything that happened up until 2003?

Do you really want to start a conversation with web visitors by inferring that you are careless, indifferent and maybe not even in business anymore?

Probably not.

So, turn on your cell phone now and call an EMT (Emergency Make-Over Team).

The Secret That Can Sabotage Your Marketing Game?

If you’re not frequently maintaining and updating your web presence -  you are not helping your Business, you are hurting it.

Open your window to the 21st Century, and get a Website facelift ASAP.

I know what you’re thinking:

Websites and Web Designers cost money.

That’s the bad news, isn’t it?

But most everything worth anything costs money. Nothing new there.

The good news is that websites are only a fraction of what they could have cost you back in the day.

Even better news is that there are plenty of online website tools and web consultants that will help you update or set-up a great looking website by yourself, for very little money.

No expensive Web Designer or Web Master is required.

In fact, you can set up a Blog for FREE.

So, try out one of the online tools below, and embrace the new Web – by updating your Web Presence as soon as possible.

I promise, you’ll be glad you did.

Blogger

From Google – Blogger is a totally free Blogging Platform, with Hosting included.

Sign up for a Blogger.com account today, and start Blogging today. How much easier does it need to be?

Godaddy

Click and build your very own Web site online!

Easy to use template website system with their Website Tonight product. Easy to customize your own 5 to 10 page website. Comes with your own business email account. Add images, flash, RSS, and more.

Wordpress

Wordpress is by far the most popular Blogging Platform around. Wordpress.com is totally free, with hosting included.

Wordpress.org is also free, but is much more full featured than the dotcom version. However, this is the version which will require a separate Web Hosting Plan.

Hostgator

Hostgator is one of my favorite Web Hosts. You get reliable web hosting with excellent customer service.

Build Your Site Online With Site Studio Template System! Easy to Use!

Each Hostgator Plan includes an easy to use CPanel, and a free Website Builder with professional, user-friendly templates.

It doesn’t matter what you say in your brochures and websites, or how clever your TV and Radio ads are.

You can slash prices and give away free beer and biscuits until the cows come home.

But ultimately, it is the level of service you provide to your customers that will determine if your business lives or dies.

Surely every business on every block knows this much.

Or…maybe not.

I was recently in San Francisco celebrating a milestone occasion, and thought it might be fun to rent a bicycle on my last day – and glide across the Golden Gate Bridge.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with San Francisco (or the Golden Gate), let me tell you what an exhilarating experience I’m talking about:

1.7 level miles on the Golden Gate. Crisp air with breath-taking views. And at the end – a steep, downhill tour into the picturesque waterfront community of Sausalito.

Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco

It could’ve been fun. It should’ve been fun.

But mostly it wasn’t.

When my husband and I arrived at the Bridge, the gear assembly of my bike promptly snapped off  (taking the bike chain with it) – as soon as my feet struck the pedals.

We walked our bikes across the Golden Gate, and when we got to the other side, yes – I was grinning on the long coast down into Sausalito.

But with no way to pedal it, I was soon walking the bike again…

And so what could’ve, should’ve, would’ve been a pleasurable biking experience in the San Francisco Bay area – was certainly far less than that.

But okay, bicycles break.

One would think that upon a call to the Bike Rental Shop, and hearing about the broken bike, their “Customer Is Always Right” mode would have been shifted into high gear immediately. (Sorry).

One would think that we would receive at least an apology and perhaps be offered some sort of discount or voucher for a return visit – for another set of bikes, on another day. (Nope.)

One would think that a credit might be offered to us for the time we spent walking their crappy bike, instead of being charged for the rental of it.

One would think.

“Being good and doing the right thing – means you at least have a chance to do well”.

But this is a company that hasn’t studied Customer Service in awhile.

This is a company with a management team arrogant enough to believe that Customer Service doesn’t really matter.

And does it?

I believe it does.

I believe that Customer Service is the Lifeblood of every business. Yours, mine, theirs.

Great customer service is about sending people away pleased.

I know that if you are pleased enough with my work and the level of customer service you receive from me, you just may send some positive words about me to someone else you know.

This person (or people) may feel confident enough to try my services for themselves, based on the feedback you give to them.

And these people, in turn, may become my customers too – and possibly even repeat customers.

And so it goes, on and on.

Positive word-of-mouth.

It’s what can happen when you treat people well.

Do you treat your customers well?

Do you care about what your customers are saying about you and your Business?

Yes? No? Maybe tomorrow?

Let me put it to you this way: what do you think will be my response when someone asks:

“Hey, do you know of a good place to rent bicycles in San Francisco”?

Customer Service matters.

Today more than ever.

Show customers you care about them, and they may care enough about you to refer you to others.

Show customers you don’t care about them, and watch what happens.

(Planning a bike tour in San Francisco?) Email Me.

“There may be no easier upgrade to your Web experience than a switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox” – Rob Pegoraro, Washington Post

There is one thing Microsoft does very well -- it works hard to convince masses that MS products are far superior to any alternative.

Alternatives to Microsoft Products?

Yes, believe it or not – they exist. And sometimes it’s the alternative that is the superior product.

Case in point is the one bit of software most of us use daily: The Internet Browser.

You know what an Internet Browser is -- the application which allows you to display and interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information on the Internet.

Because many of us use a PC with an XP or Vista operating system, and because Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) most likely came pre-installed on our computer, it was a no-brainer to determine which Browser we would initially use.

We would use what is there, of course. It’s easy.

Let’s face it, we like easy.

And so over time IE managed to become a familiar friend – no matter how inconsistent or annoying it could be.

But there is an alternative, and this time – it’s an excellent one.

Mozilla Firefox is a free, open source Web Browser which runs under Microsoft Windows XP,Vista, Mac OSX, and Linux.

It is the second most popular Web Browser in terms of current use worldwide –behind (you guessed it) Microsoft IE.

But here’s the thing: Mozilla Firefox is so simple to use, and packed with so many fantastic features – I just can’t imagine why it’s not Number 1!

Here are the Top 10 Reasons You’ll Love Firefox

1. Smart Location Bar

It takes some getting used to, but the Firefox Location Bar is a student of your ways.

It learns as you use it. Over time, it adapts to your preferences and offers more relevant matches.

It’s a fantastic feature.

2. Clear Private Data

Is your computer on a network? Do you share a computer with other people?

Either way, it’s a good idea to keep your web surfing private.

Firefox lets you clear your private data automatically.

3. Live BookMarks -- Feed Reader

Want an easy way to subscribe to your favorite news service or Blog?

Create a Firefox Live Bookmark.

Simply click the orange RSS icon in the address bar, and you won’t have to spend hours searching the Web for the latest news and updates anymore.

They will be delivered directly to your Tool Bar via RSS!

4. Instant Web Site Identification

Want to do more online shopping, but want to be sure that a site is legitimate before you buy something?

With Firefox, you get one-click instant site identity of the site you’re on.

This way, you can avoid website forgeries and feel confident that a website is what it claims to be.

5. Full Zoom

Some days, my eyes don’t want to cooperate. And these are the same days I cannot find my reading glasses.

Firefox lets you view your favorite web pages with Full Zoom.  So go right ahead and get close-up on exactly what you want to see.

6. Anti-Malware and Anti-Phishing Features

We all know that there are some bad folks lurking about the Net.

But prepare yourself for some peace of mind, finally.

Firefox protects you from spyware and other malware like viruses, worms, and Trojans.

If you accidentally stumble upon an attack site or a site pretending to be one that you trust, you’ll receive a full-sized browser warning from Firefox.

Firefox’s list of attack sites is continuously updated, so there’s nothing for you to update, maintain, or worry about.

7. Pop-Up Blocker

Do you hate pop-up windows as much as I do?

Firefox lets you get rid of them once and for all (though you can create a list of sites whose pop-ups you don’t mind so much).

8. One-Click Bookmarking

It’s as simple as this:

Just click once on the “star” at the tail end of the Firefox Location Bar, and that bookmarks the site you’re on.

Give the star two clicks, and now you get to choose where to save the Bookmark.

9. Tabs

This is one of those brilliant features, that once you have it – you can’t imagine how you ever lived without it.

Tabs are little labels that sit above the website you’re currently on.

But tabs also allow you to browse multiple websites at the same time.

Each new website you visit will appear as a new tab (not a new window) and you can access any of them with just a click.

10. A More Customized Online Experience

Firefox has more than 5,000 add-ons to help you do more, have more fun and be more productive and creative online.

From photo, video, and music add-ons to social communications and “skins” (themes) you’re sure to find something that will make Mozilla Firefox uniquely yours!

What do you think? Do you see what I see?

(And remember, this is just the beginning)…

Are you ready to Make The Switch from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox?

It’s easy.

Just follow these 4 Simple Steps when you’re ready:

1.    Click this button to get to the download page.

2. Click the Firefox Download Now – Free button.

3. Follow the simple steps to install Firefox, and import your bookmarks, passwords and other settings from Internet Explorer.

4. Launch Firefox from your Start menu, launch bar, or by clicking on the desktop shortcut icon.

5. NOTE: If you don’t want to always use Firefox as your default browser, you don’t have to.

But at least it’s there when you want it!

Take my word for it, you’re going to thank me for this!

After you’ve used Firefox – be sure to let me know how you like it (or love it!)