Tech Support Pits:

From Carrie===
 Hi Webby,
There is so much written about making big money on the
Internet. Since most of that is in spam, how much of that
can be believed ? I want just a small business without the
stress that comes with a big company. Is there something
that would fit for me?
Thanks
Carrie

Dear Carrie
If you want "just a small business", then crochet doilies
and sell them to relatives. You will make more money than
any of the gullible suckers who believe what they read in
spam.
 
If you want an Internet business that pays you more per
month than working as a part time greeter at Walmart,
then you have to follow some basic rules:
1) Clean up your credit rating enough so that you can get
  a credit card merchant account or a PayPal merchant
  account.
 
2) Set up a web site. However, be careful and limit your
  time! It's really easy to do, but if the creativity bug
  bites you, it's too much fun and becomes addictive,
  and it's easy to forget that the reason for it is your
  business. It's quite OK to play, but budget your time!
  If you don't know how to write pages, take the free
  HTML course that you see in the left side margin.
 
3) Start writing a regular newsletter. Absolutely nothing
  except postcards will generate as many contacts and
  friends.
 
4) As you are getting comfortable with pages and
  newsletters, it's time to find a niche that suites you.
  Don't pick anything that requires x amount of hours to
  make, but something that you can duplicate easily or
  buy easily.
 
5) Get yourself a coach. Life is too short to make all the
  mistakes yourself. Avoid those who claim that they are
  a coach or successful but are actually so poor that they
  resort to spamming. They are like the fortune tellers
  on the street, who can't even predict when they are going
  to be arrested. Instead find somebody who is running a
  successful business and has done so for a long time.
 
6) If your coach recommends an on-line course or book
  that you can afford, invest in it! There is some excellent
  material available that is only whispered about, out of
  fear that a competitor might learn the same tricks. Don't
  waste your money on stuff that needs a flashy advertising.
  Go for what worked for your coach.
 
7) Stock up on a small amount of whatever you are planning
  to sell and sell it to friends. ABSOLUTELY refuse to
  accept cash. I don't have the space here to explain it,
  but that will ruin your business for sure. Tell them that
  you need to test your order form or your merchant account,
  or whatever, but don't accept cash! Make everybody go
  through your order form or shopping cart, and keep that
  money totally separate. You can write off a lot of things,
  and pay yourself generously, but only if you keep a very
  strict separation. Anything else will just get you yelled
  at by your accountant and by the tax authorities, cost
  you more and waste a lot of time.
 
8) As you gain experience from selling to relatives and
  friends, promote your goods on your site and in your
  newsletter. For that to work, you need credibility.
  This is getting too long, so I'll write about that
  tomorrow.
 
Have FUN!
Dear Webby