Some basic steps you can take to open your site to potential clients:

1) Make sure all of your relevant and core content is in text-based format. For example: if you have power statements as graphics embedded in your content they will not be readable by a speech synthesizer (a tool used by people to turn written content into an auditory format).

2) Make sure your images have alt tags that say what they are. If someone is using a Braille display to view web, untagged images show up as a large blank space that could easily be interpreted as end of content.

3) Try changing your setting to quickly view your site in black and white. This is an option that people with color blindness in any degree often use so they can avoid missing valuable content. Check to see if your color palette allows text and hyperlinks to still be clear and readable.

New technology is bringing more and more people online everyday. Is your site ready and open to everyone?

Have a successful day! Leslie Durand

What you want to do is build long-term relationships so that whenever a new prospect or past client has a need, they think of you as expert to go to or to refer someone else to. The longer you are in contact with prospects and clients more opportunities you have to demonstrate how helpful you or your products are and to earn their trust.

Depending on what you're marketing, you may need to establish a little or a lot of trust. If you sell major label music CDs for $17, it may not take much work to convince people you can ship them what they want. If you provide financial services and want prospects to trust you with their life's earnings, it can take longer. It may be six to seven months before your prospects will consider even having a conversation.

Use following three steps to build long-term profitable relationships:

1. Focus on your prospects' needs and wants and offer something for frëe to motivate people to contact you.

2. Contact your prospects regularly and give them tips and ideas they can use.

3. Couch your offers in terms of what your prospects are looking for.

Which is more important, new prospects or existing clients? The answer of course is both. To grow your business you need to constantly grow your network of contacts, of people who know how you can help them. At same time, focus your efforts on building long-term relationships so that prospects become clients and clients become repeat clients.

Do this and you'll have more people interested in what you offer and more people buying your products and services.

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