Every web surfer has encountered the dreaded 404 page not found error message. The generic error page is horrible to look at and it does not encourage web visitors to explore more of your site.

Imagine being able to setup a custom error message page that looked good, told the visitor what had gone wrong and then suggested some alteative links to other locations on your site, such as the home page, sitemap or even a search page.

If the visitor wanted to, they could then visit other parts of your site.

It is very easy to setup a custom 404 error page (The 404 error is the error number retued when a page or directory is not found on your site).

The easiest way to redirect visitors that encounter a 404 is to either send them to your sites home page or to your sitemap page

We do this by placing a one line of code in your websites .htaccess file

ErrorDocument 404 /sitemap.html

This would redirect all 404 error messages to the sitemap page.

The path to the page you want to display, must already exist on your web server, otherwise the web server will tie itself up in a never ending loop. The full path to the error page must be specified and it must be relative to the root path of that account (remember, placing a / at the front of a file name or directory specifies that it�s relative to the root directory).

To make a custom error page, simply create a page using your favorite webpage editor such as MS FrontPage or DreamWeaver. The page can contain anything you wish, such as images, links etc. Save the file as something easy to remember (such as 404errors.html)

I would then suggest you make a directory directly off your /public_html/ folder and call it �error� and place your error files in here.

This would now mean that your .htaccess command line would now look like: ErrorDocument 404 /error/404errors.html

Now whenever a 404 error was generated on your site, your custom error page will be displayed, and keep your web visitors happy.

In the upcoming article, I will expand on this idea, and show you how to you can receive an email notification that a 404 error has occurred on your site. It will tell you what caused the error, and the offending page. Allowing you to try and fix all broken links leading to your site.

Bruce Hearder owns and run http://www.WebsiteSecrets101.com. A site with tips and tricks to getting the most out of your existing website. Signup for the WebSiteSecrets101 newsletter, and lea the tricks webmasters use on their sites.

I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that online businesses -- just like brick and mortar businesses -- have a very high failure rate for startups. Ever wonder why that is? There are several business consultants, success gurus, and motivational experts who can tell you. The problem is: Most of us don�t listen.

How many times have we heard the "success secrets" of the multimillion-dollar pros? Countless times we have all been preached to about setting goals, having a defined plan, giving it all we�ve got, and aiming high. Yet still, take a look around. The statistics of small business failures have not changed. In the first five years of starting a new business, the odds say that you�ll fail.

Ready for the good news? There is one thing I can tell you -- from personal experience, and from the experience of well-known, successful online business owners that I know. More important than setting goals, more than following a plan, more than shooting for the moon, is your mindset. Ask people who have succeeded online how they did it, and they are sure to tell you that they had to. That�s right -- they HAD to. Why? Because failure is not an option.

When you set your sights on something as grand as starting your own business, you simply have to have the mindset that, regardless of what happens, you will not allow yourself to fail.

When difficulties come, the "failure is not an option" attitude will drive you to overcome them. When things aren�t going as you originally planned (and many times they won�t), "failure is not an option" will keep you from folding. When everybody else tells you that you can�t make it, you will be able to tell them you can because "failure is not an option."

Those whose thinking allows them an "out," those who begin a business with the idea that if it doesn�t work out -- "oh well," are the ones who will most likely falter. However, on the other hand, those who have no choice but to succeed will do exactly that.

Are you considering starting a new business? Do you have a business that isn�t performing the way it should? Take a look at your attitude. Yes, it is important to set goals and follow through with them. It is vital that you have the knowledge and funds to operate a business the right way. However, those things won�t carry you very far if you allow yourself to think that it�s OK to fail.

Take some time this week to double-check your thinking. Are you "hoping" your company will make it? Do you "wonder" if everything will work out all right? When you eliminate the option of failure, you open up the flow of creativity, you boost your level of willpower, and you energize your thinking so that only those things that lead to success can control your mind. Once you accomplish that, the only viable alteative is to make it, and make it big!

Copyright 2004 Diane Hughes

About The Author

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful)

Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business

Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane

With the surge of instant messaging - whether through AOL, Yahoo or one road runner giving a letter to another - there is now the need for good away messages. An away message is similar to an answering machine, telling a friend, relative or stalker of one's absence and then kindly asking for a response. In order to help society - since we all know that's my general goal in life - I have been thinking for the past four minutes of possible away messages for general worldwide usage. But then I realized that there was no universal language, except for the music of Ruben Studdard, so I will instead resort to providing tips�

Quotes seem to be a popular part of away messages. People tend to quote famous people, or those whose opinions matter, because it tends to be easier to use someone else's words than to use your own. Something tells me, though, that if people like John Lennon and John F. Kennedy knew that their words were being used in away messages, they would die. And that's a big deal considering they are already dead. So I suggest that people start quoting those whom no one knows or cares about. You know, someone like me. I have 400 columns you can borrow from, or to save you time, go ahead and use this: "I don't really like scrambled eggs. The shells always cut my tongue."

Aside from using an obscure quote, it also seems necessary to make it seem like you are busy. You know, so busy that you couldn't even exit your messaging program but somehow weren't too busy to type an away message. Go figure. Telling people you are busy just won't cut it, however, because we all know that people lie, except for me when I made that scrambled eggs comment. Thus, being more subtle about one's busy schedule is key, ie: "I really don't like scrambled eggs. The shells always cut my tongue." This may seem like a previous example, but look closely: I reversed two of the words for effect...

My final tip for away messages will likely revolutionize the way we all look at life. I really don't like that Mikey character; I still don't think he enjoyed the cereal� Oh, I'm sorry, wrong life...

At any rate, my final tip is that since people try so hard to be unique with their messages and make comments that make sense, why not just list a bunch of random words that you think people may want to use in conversation? I would suggest "mouse pad" and "boomerang" as starters. Or maybe just use a semi-colon as an away message because people need to start appreciating those more. The same goes for telemarketers, minus the appreciation part...

When all else fails, realize that an away message can simply state "I am not here. Leave a message." Just keep in mind that no one will talk to you� ever� again. But I guess that's fine. You're too busy anyway�

But I digress.

Greg Gagliardi is a teacher and writer. His stream-of-consciousness weekly humor column, "Progressive Revelations," has been ongoing since 1998. (http://www.ProgressiveRevelations.com)

Do you think anyone has declared moving type to be the end of civilization in the same way people said typewriters were killing letter writing, telephones were isolating people, and television and the Inteet were isolating young folk from other people? Did anyone rouse the mob to drive out that wicked Johannes Gutenberg and his dreadful machine? Certainly the people who said that telephone was killing the art of letter writing have yet to suggest that email is bringing back that same historic art.

Obviously, few emails are works of art, and you can�t write and email in a graceful flowing hand on beautiful soft cr�me paper with an intense and delightful color of ink. But then, most people can�t write in a graceful flowing handwriting, and never could, even with the right pen, right ink and right paper. On the other hand, what people CAN put in an email is steadily expanding. We already have the option of colored text, delightful fonts, pictures, and even animated pictures in the email. The fanciest handwriting on the most expensive paper never managed moving images. A friend of mine has picked an appealing color and an attractive �handwriting� script and used them for her name in her �sig� file. This is so every message she sends can be �signed in a graceful flowing hand.� When you email people you can send all of your friends an interesting article or photos of your newbo baby without delay and without sending photocopies of the original.

Clearly we have all the tools to revive the art of letter writing. Do we also have the patience and the artistry? Are we willing to expend that artistry and time on emails? Or, are emails doomed by their humble and colorless beginnings to forever being the brief notes of the electronic world, while �the artistry� is poured into blogs and web pages with their larger readership and longer life?

By Allan T. Price http://www.m6.net Allan T. Price is a creative writer whose emails are artistically worded, but never artistic looking. He doesn�t have a blog beyond this, but he may just start one now. Allan T. Price is a creative writer working at M6.Net: �The web-hosting company for humans.� M6.Net is working hard to help humanity experience the power and freedom to develop their own part of the Inteet, to share their information and connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

The Inteet is bridging the gap between between today and tomorrow with it's rapid acceptance as an universal platform for conducting business. It is responsible for allowing businesses to cross geographical barriers and making the world a much smaller place.

Business Opportunities abound on the net and an understanding of the essence of e-business can mean the difference between e-success and e-failure. The e-business equation can be formulated as:

((N+P+W+E+L+Tr)+T+R+K+M+O)) = E-Business Success

Now, let's take the mystery out of e-business. Experienced and successful inteet marketers will quickly realise that all the success they have had is engulfed in these variables. The key to e-business is "Niche Research" (N) followed by "Product Selection" (P). Niche Research involves identifying the target market for doing business and Product Selection is geared towards the selection of an offering for that target market. Product Selection could mean one's own product, a private label rights (PLR) product converted as one's own product, a product from an affiliate program or a product with re-sale rights.

The third variable is "Website Setup" (W) which involves the domain registration, obtaining hosting space and defining the contents and copy for the business website. "Ezine Creation" (E) is the prelude to "List Building" (L) and can go a long way in building the necessary relationship with your subscribers in your target market. The money is in the "list", they say and not without reason as your list is a database of subscribers tuned towards your target market segment.

The sixth variable is "Traffic Generation" (Tr) and it takes only common sense to realise that there can be no profits with no traffic.

These six variables make up the process and all it takes now is to integrate the process with the necessary collection of "Tools" (T), information on "Resources"(R), gathering of "Knowledge" (K) and inculcation of "Motivation" (M) to take e-success to a new level and the way one integrates the first six variables with the last four will separate the men from the boys.

The "Other Variables" (O) is the human factor which determines the extent of e-success between different inteet entrepreneurs. The newbies in e-business should not forget that achievers in the e-business arena do not have "more inteet" than the newbies themselves. It is just the way they integrate the variables along with the recognition of the fact that action and not in-action leads to de-mystifying the mystery of e-business success. Business opportunities and online profits are not as far off as one thinks provided the variables goveing it are understood and implemented.

Jayadeep Rath is the founder of http://www.My-Business-Opportunity.com and also runs a manual traffic exchange by the name of http://www.EatSleepTraffic.com He has a newsletter to share various resources, opportunities and strategies relating to E-Business with subscribers at http://www.My-Business-Opportunity.com

This article may be published if no changes are made to the article as well as the resource box and all links are kept live.

There are many ways to bring your income to the next level, and it all relies on just a little work that you can take anytime. So what do you need to take action on for your online business venture?

Here are a few ways you can create a greater stream of income through your own Inteet Marketing:

1. Publish an e-zine
Have you started publishing your own e-zines yet? E-zines are newsletters that you send out every few days for your subscribers so that they can read and gain information from.

E-zines can also help you improve the relationship between you and your subscribers, sell your products, and promote any affiliated programs. As many gurus have mentioned, �the gold�s in the list�.

2. Publish testimonials
Testimonials can greatly increase your sales as it works like a proof � that the products you sell works. No one wants to buy junk, people are skeptical with anything that includes money.

So clear off the doubt in your visitors and show them the proof, testimonials from your customers, and that will greatly increase trust which eventually leads to profit.

3. Write articles
When is the last time you have written articles to be published in article directories? These articles you�ve written and submitted will be seen by thousands and thousands of people, and sometimes if your articles are good they�ll be used and published on websites.

This way, you can drive tons and tons of traffic to your site without cost at all, and every visitor are potential buyers.

4. Tracking your advertising
It is important that you track your advertising. If you have involved in Pay-Per-Click advertising like Google Adwords or Overture, you can clear off the ineffective keywords, and only bid on more profitable keywords that brings you profit.

5. Offering a guarantee
This is extremely important. 70% of people who sees no guarantee will leave the sales page just because they�re not convinced! If your product delivers well, why won�t you offer a guarantee?

You must ea your visitor�s trust, only then will they be comfortable in investing their money for your product.

6. Promote your own affiliate program
Whenever you have the chance to do so, execute the plan. Many times people will not have the urge to take action until they are asked to do so. Try to emphasize the benefits over and over again about affiliating your product, provide sufficient tools, and you�ll be receiving a whole lot more in your profits.

7. Publish an affiliate newsletter
Once you have gotten your affiliates, you can�t let them do it all by themselves. Provide them an affiliate newsletter, share affiliate tips and strategies with them so that they can successfully promote your product.

If you haven�t included these steps in your online business venture, make sure you�ll grab hold of it right now and execute them right away to multiply your revenues.

To your success,

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Seth Chong is the owner of IMViral, one of the largest, biggest viral Inteet Marketing Newsletter which is being spread around the world, you can sign up for the Newsletter(worths $197) for Free at www.IMViral.com

You're about to discover something that I honestly believe can CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

This is a concept that drives my marketing. This concept continues to make me a small fortune. Today I want to share this concept with you.

"Crap can make you rich."

Don't laugh. Let me explain.

The beautiful thing about marketing online is that we can achieve RESULTS for anything LIGHTNING FAST.

We can put up some Google AdWords, drive some traffic, and starting getting results in a matter of MINUTES.

I can essentially write a sales letter, include an opt-in form, and create a little infoproduct to sell, all in less than ONE HOUR and have it getting results.

Okay, so the product may completely STINK. i.e. it's CRAP. The sales letter may be nothing but CRAP too. And even if someone DOES order, they'll be getting that product which is CRAP and most likely will request a refund. Heck, after all, I only spent an hour on the entire thing.

But none of that matters. The GOLD is not in the crap itself, the gold is in the RESULTS.

Everything in marketing has a "Cause and Effect" -- everything.

If you put up the WORST CRAP EVER right now on a web site, something WILL happen. And those results are what eventually drives a few hundred dollars a month in profit, and eventually produces several thousand dollars a month, and can eventually create a small fortune.

Okay, so maybe your conversion rate will initially be 1 out of 1,000. That's okay. With enough data that 1 out of 1,000 will become a solid average and that site will CONSISTENTLY produce 1 sale out of 1,000 visitors.

Hey, welcome to a CRAP conversion rate. :-)

Hehe, but seriously...

The point is this. There is tremendous value in a 1 out of 1,000 visitor conversion rate -- no matter what the price of the product is. No matter what the offer is. Why? Because it's GUARANTEED that you can IMPROVE upon it. You can make it better. You CAN get MORE people to buy.

All you have to do is improve your marketing. Test small changes. Try a few little tweaks. Improve it little by little.

Get better and better RESULTS.

Here is something I want you to engrave deep into your brain...

You will NEVER, that's right, NEVER, launch a site or any marketing that will be even 10% of "perfect". You're never going to launch a site that starts pulling a 10% conversion ratio, let alone 100%.

(And before you email me and tell me that a site you launched pulled a 10%+ conversion rate, I'm not talking about the results of a strong endorsement someone did for you. I'm talking about an AVERAGE conversion rate from ALL the traffic sources you point at your site.)

So why are you spending SO MUCH TIME to get that latest project launched? What the heck are you waiting for?

Know this... everyday that goes by without you launching your latest project is a day that you could be using to test and IMPROVE upon what that project produces.

Yes, that means make you more money.

Your project will never be perfect. You could have always made it better. You could have always done this or done that.

WRITE THIS DOWN...

"The biggest piece of crap ever created and launched online makes more money than an almost-perfect project that was never launched."

Is my point getting through to you?

The biggest mistake we entrepreneurs make is trying to make our little projects PERFECT before we are willing to launch them and see what they will do.

This can be the "kiss of death" for our businesses. Because until we launch projects we don't get any RESULTS.

What you need to realize is that RESULTS are the biggest ASSET to your online business. Even the CRAPPY RESULTS.

Because the results are what tells us what is working and what isn't. And believe me, I've probably made MORE MONEY from the results I discovered about things that weren't working, so don't just think it's all about what works.

So lea to produce projects on an ACCELERATED launch schedule. Just get the sucker to the quickest version that will allow you to launch it and start getting ANY results at all. Then spend your time IMPROVING on the results.

Let's face it. Many of our projects FLOP. It just happens. People just won't buy enough of something to make it profitable. So we must move on and work on another project. Get it out there and see if that one starts making money. Repeating the process again and again.

But think about what I just said and realize something. If you KNOW the reality that many of your projects will fail, why the heck are you taking so long to find out?

It's probably the same reason *I've* often delayed things... FEAR.

I'm AFRAID to see my "baby", my special project, fail. But since we've already come to realize that the reality of business is that some projects WILL FAIL, we just need to GET OVER IT.

Put that CRAP together and launch it! Unpolished. Unperfected. Ugly. Yes, I say let the crap fly! (no, not that crap.)

So get your projects launched absolutely, without a doubt, as quickly as possible. Get SOME results. Any results. THEN work on improving whatever those results are to increase your profits.

If you are planning on doing JVs with people for your new product, or rolling out an affiliate program for it, the "JOHN REESE CRAP METHOD" (as I will call it) still definitely works.

Here's how you use it...

You put together your web site and product as quickly as possible. Go jump on Google and buy some AdWords traffic to point at the site. Start tracking the results -- no matter what they are. Make changes and TEST them. Continuously work to improve the results of the site.

When you're able to get the site to a satisfactory conversion level, then and only then proceed with putting together JV deals and really rolling out the product.

You know, the biggest kiss of death for an online marketer can be to launch a product with JV partners WITHOUT having first tested and improved a site's conversion. Do you think your JV partners are going to promote your next project if the initial one completely FLOPS and doesn't make them any money? Absolutely not.

SO USE THE "JOHN REESE CRAP METHOD" AND PROFIT!

1. Create and launch crap. 2. Test that crap. 3. Improve that crap. 4. Make money with crap that eventually becomes non-crap.

Seriously. Don't laugh. This process works. Again and again. It has made me rich.

Lea it. Live it. Love it. Let crap make YOU rich.

-----------------------------------------
John Reese is an Inteet Marketing pioneer that has been actively marketing online since 1990. John has sold millions of dollars worth of products and services online and his network of Web Sites have received over 1.4 BILLION Web Site visitors since their inception. You can lea more about John, his home study courses, and subscribe to his free ezine by visiting:

http://www.marketingsecrets.com

(c)2003 MarketingSecrets.com. All rights reserved.