7. Use common business etiquette and manners. Avoid use of slang. Remember, World Wide Web is just that - world wide. You will never alienate an audience by using a professional tone, but you might if you get too casual. Other than blatant Spam, answer emails, even if it is a brief acknowledgment. You never know when you will interact with someone again, so treat each person as your most valued customer. They might be!

8. Ask questions of others! Successful people love to offer help and advice. There are bulletin boards all over Internet where you can post messages looking for help on a particular topic whether it's how to design something into your site, where to get a merchant account or something else. If you don't ask, you'll never know. I learned through my first business project that people are successful for a reason. One reason is that they didn't try to re-invent wheel. If I can't find answer on my own, I'm first one to post a message or send an email to someone that I think might have answer. Try it! The responses and offers of help I have received from Internet millionaires are amazing.

9. Online marketing is great, but don't forget to market your business offline as well. Every time you give someone cash, write a check or give your credit card, include a business card with it. Tell people about your online business and ask them to spread word. Word of mouth advertising is better than any other form. Press releases, offline classifieds and traditional methods of advertising are important to your online business.

10. Build relationships and use networking skills online. Visit bulletin boards and newsgroups and offer real help and assistance. Don't Spam these places, but use a signature line promoting your business, if it is acceptable. If you are legitimate, people will remember you and it could be worth gold to you in future.

I hope these tips will help you. The most important thing is to just get started. Don't wait until you feel everything is perfect. It won't be. It never is. You will probably make thousands of changes. Everyone does! When you are changing, you are growing and your business will, too!

The Pew Research Center study revealed that regular net users were more connected with their friends and family than those who didn't use Internet on a regular basis.

Almost two-thirds of 3,500 respondents said they felt that email brought them closer to family and friends -- significant when combined with fact that 91% of them used email on a regular basis. That's 91%. It took VCRs 25 years to achieve such market penetration.

What did people in this study seem to be doing online when they weren't doing email? Half were going online regularly to purchase products and services, and nearly 75 percent were going online to search for information about their hobbies or purchases they were planning to make. Sixty-four percent of respondents visited travel sites, and 62 percent visited weather-related sites. Over half did educational research, and 54 percent were hunting for data about health and medicine.

A surprising 47 percent regularly visited government web sites, and 38 percent researched job opportunities. Instant messaging was used by 45 percent of these users, and a third of them played games online. Even with all hype in media, only 12 percent said they traded stocks online.

What does this mean to e-marketers? It means that if you're constructing a site for goal-oriented consumers, you'd better make sure you can help facilitate their seeking. Rather than focus on entertainment, flash, and useless splash screens, most effective sites are those that help people get information they want when they need it. Straightforward data, information that invites comparison, and straight talk are going to win day.

A client buddy of mine showed me his website which heralds his retail location and attempts to sell nothing online. He said it has been biggest moneymaker in history of his 35-year-old company. Then he apologized for its lack of glitter and special effects. He asked how his site could be so successful even though it lacked anything to add razzmatazz and dipsydazzle.

Now, you know answer.