3. Don't disappear behind your autoresponder. It can be a good and valuable marketing tool, but that's all it is: a tool. People don't normally have any emotional involvement with a hammer or a clock radio - they're just tools.

Your autoresponder cannot replace you and your personal attention to your prospect. Your sales letters may be warm and fuzzy, while still pushing your product or service, and they are probably as personalized as you can make them. Terrific! But they're still "just" sales letters - very important, but no substitute for you.

A thought (I have them sometimes...): When a prospect opts-out of further autoresponder mailings, email her/him and ask if you can be of service or help find what she/he wants. It may just be person recognized and objected to electronic bulk mail and will buy with some personal attention. Don't harass them, of course.

4. Seek feedback. Don't assume that just because you've provided a place to email you that a prospect will do so. Be proactive (sorry, corporate buzzword), not passive. Ask your prospect what he/she wants, thinks or has questions about. Ask person to drop you a note (Doesn't that sound more personal than email me? It does, too!) and be certain to respond within twenty-four hours. At very least, you might learn about something that needs your attention.

5. Publish an address and phone number where you can be reached. Are you crazy, Butler? Not necessarily. I think doing so is a strong personal statement. It says I'm available to help you, I have nothing to hide and I'll be happy to talk with you. It's a potent confidence-builder. You don't have to plaster it across every page in foot-high characters, just make it easy to find. I think it highly unlikely you'll get many calls or snail mails.

You'll think of other ways to humanize your online business. By all means,use latest technology, if you wish. Just keep in mind you're asking people to part with their money and they want to know they're dealing with a real person in case there's a question or problem. And that person is you.

3. Make a parallel list of all benefits from above listed features. For example, benefits of above feature (maximizing keywords) would be additional wealth and prosperity through higher listings in major search engines.

4. Determine what benefits are REALLY important to your target market. You may assume that THIS benefit is of utmost importance. However, when you poll your clients or prospective clients, you may find exact opposite. The important thing is to not be blind to reality. Ask some questions, adjust, tweak, poll again, adjust, ask more questions, tweak. Marketing and attraction are NOT an exact science. Enjoy process!

5. Create word pictures of benefits derived from your product or service. Remember skirt with pockets? Carefully crafted statements which bring emotional responses will bring most bang for your buck. Paint a picture and bring home sizzling bacon.

6. Implement a marketing and sales strategy based on benefits you have uncovered. Pay special attention to those benefits which have greatest impact on purchasing decision. Continue to try on different techniques and strategies along way as you uncover what works particular well for you and your target market.

7. Celebrate Success! Practicing building your business on benefits will yield a larger bottom line, that is guaranteed. It also takes some artistry and panache. You can choose to be an automaton, however I am sure you would rather become prosperous through using your mind and creating beyond your wildest dreams.