 DON’T LIE to get me to join your mailing list. If you want me on your mailing list, just say so! Don’t offer free products for immediate download when I join your list, then send me to another page that is full of self hype. If you offer immediate download for joining your list, then send me to free download page immediately after I hit submit button. I shouldn’t have to check my email for “download link” when I was led to believe I would be able to download immediately. That reeks of dishonesty and I will OPT OUT of your list immediately and never return to your website again. Most people are uncomfortable about giving out their email address anyway … we’ve all been SPAMMED … so if you are promising something in exchange for my trust (by giving you my email address) … DON’T LIE and make me jump thru hoops to get what you originally promised. Which brings me to next annoyance…

 “AS A LOYAL SUBSCRIBER” … when I’m opting out of your mailing list immediately after signing up (because you mislead me with your immediate download crap) don’t call me a LOYAL SUBSCRIBER. I’m not! I am a DISGUSTED subscriber who now wants OUT … Let me tell you what DOES impress me when I opt out … when I’m contacted by person who’s list I have just opted out of based my response to their question of “why are you opting out”. It shows me that they have actually read what I had to say and took it to heart. It shows that they are willing to listen to what their “loyal subscribers” actually have to say.

 THE “OUT OF THE BOX” SALES COPY/LETTER. Not everyone can write good sales copy (which is why there are advertising agencies that specialize in these things). When your sales copy/letter looks like everyone else’s because you have purchased “out of box sales copy/letter” software, then I have quickly lost interest. IF you truly believe in what you are promoting, then writing sales copy/letter should come naturally. IF it doesn’t… then your product of moment isn’t worth promoting.

 AFFILIATES … having your product promoted by others is a great way to get more exposure, but when those who have AFFILIATED your product start SPAMMING … well… not only has your affiliate devalued your product, but your product no longer has any credibility.

 DON’T BE A NAME DROPPER. If “guru” (who’s name you’re dropping) thinks YOU are so wonderful, then he/she would be promoting YOU.

 BE VERY CAREFUL WHICH “GURU” YOU ASSOICATE YOUR NAME WITH. There are a LOT of so called "guru’s” out there on world wide web … they have made their fortune (I still think guy who invented POP UP ads should be shot) … and (for example) if you associate your name with POP-UP king (who’s name I won’t mention), then you have lost me as a client/customer forever!

 BE CREDIBLE and keep your credibility. Don’t push EVERY product out there. If you believe in product, then by all means, make it available. But if you are looking for quick sale based on "guru’s” name recognition, and product SUCKS… you have lost a client/customer forever.

If what you have to offer is truly amazing and worthwhile, then you don’t need hype, you don’t need self-promotional hype, and you certainly don’t need “tried and true” methods that so-called “guru’s” are pushing. It may have worked for them… but it doesn’t mean it will work for you. Be who you are… don’t be who “guru’s” tell you to be… because it shows. If you have integrity and credibility, it shows in everything you do.

Copyright 2004 – BenSpammed – www.beenspammed.info www.swctruths.com

None of this confusion of method and purpose has helped spread this really useful tool. Most RSS aggregators can read any of these formats, so situation is not as hopeless as it may seem, but many folks still throw whole thing out when they can't figure out exactly how it is supposed to work.

On http://www.SharedRSS.com/ we use version 1.0 because it is endorsed by W3C as being supportive of 'semantic web.' For casual user however, version is really not important. SharedRSS is a simple site that performs a very powerful function ... it brings benefits of RSS syndication to all those who publish websites, but who add new material too infrequently to warrant having their own RSS feed.

RSS Syndication was designed to help people find out about new content on web, long before search engines get around to finding it. It makes it easy for people to find out about new content that interests them, without having to return to search engines and wade through all material they have seen before. For sites with frequently changing content, it has worked well for them to create their own RSS feed and update it as new content is added to their website. But what about all those sites that only add an occasional new article or story to their website, or who publish a newsletter once per month? Or those who just can't take time to figure ins and outs of formatting an RSS feed? An RSS feed that only gets updated once every few months is of little value; very few people will add it to their search list in their aggregator. Shared RSS solves this problem by lumping together articles from different sites covering same topic, and lets them announce availability of their new material in a feed shared with others publishing on same topic. This makes feeds more useful to consumer, so they are more likely to add link to their aggregator. It benefits publisher by making more people aware of their material as soon as it is put on-line.