Many years ago, I started yacht racing in Caribbean. I had been sailing since age of 11. I thought that I was an "expert" sailor, but I found that I was really a novice. It's easy to teach someone to sail from point A to point B. BUT, getting from point A to point B in shortest possible time is a whole new story. It took me a full year before I won my first race in a field of 10-12 boats.

Webmastering is very similar. Sure, anyone with more than three brain cells rubbing together can learn HTML, and with all free editors out, it doesn't even take that much effort. (Like learning to sail from one point to another.)

As my own webmaster, being retired, an ex-digital engineer (before psychologist), and computer guru, ex-sales engineer/sales manager, etc. I thought that I had tools to do job.

After having a web site for over a year, I found that I have put thousands of hours of just plain study in to all facets of this fascinating job. Having spent my "retirement" money in sailing around Caribbean for several years, I don't have much money, so had to learn it all on my own. (I don't regret cruising years at all, by way.)

So, what did I learn about webmastering? It's a very complex job, requiring several levels of completely different areas of basic knowledge. I've been studying it intensely for well over a year, and have set up four web sites for different types of sales, (free health advice, a yacht company, a travel company, and a personal site). When starting a web site, what is necessary?

First, webmaster (and you if you have decided to hire one), have to analyse just what you are selling. After that analysis, decide how to present what you are selling, and how to do that on a website. All too many people just jump into a web site using one of fancy editors such as Front Page. Using their "flashy" setups is easy, but is it really way you want to present your message?

1. Don't get your own domain

Why would you want to invest a measly $35 (max) in your business annually on some name? You know who you are, right? You have no trouble believing that several hundred gazillion Internet strangers in almost as many countries will trust you - if they find you - even without a reputable brand and ID.

Fine, go get yourself one of those l-o-n-g URLs at a free website that takes at least as long to load as it does to remember. Better still go get one of those self-replicated, absolutely identical, clone "programs" with a FREE website. Write me when you get it to top of search engine listings. No, I cant wait that long, write me when you get it listed on search engines at all. I expect my mailbox won't be overflowing.

2. Don't have any original products to sell

You're OK with that business-in-a-box (for people in boxes, I guess?) that only requires you to give things away. It only cost you $69.95 to get in, so there's no risk. No selling, anyone can do this ... You'll earn $689,000,075 daily (give or take $689 million). On WHAT exactly, may I ask?

While you're at it, just get a heap of affiliate banners, throw them on a page, invite two friends to visit and they're gonna buy stuff. Don't sell anything you know about, don't use products and services yourself and above all make sure there is no information, explanation, testimonials or even text anywhere to be found on your site.

Don't be fooled by "experts" who tell you that only way to make any real money is to have something that's 100% yours (your profit), can be delivered online and is not only wanted by your carefully chosen market, but actually useful.

3. Don't publish a newsletter

See lesson 6 if you MUST do email marketing. Everyone, well both of them who found you by accident, maybe they were two friends? Is gonna buy, buy, buy, moment they hit your website and read your carefully written information about your products and services that tells them what's in it for them. Oh, no I told you that you don't need it. How silly of me.

Don't think that you have to prove yourself to be an expert in your field: don't think that least it does is keep reminding folks to come back and that you didn't fly-by-night. You'll never need to ask people to recommend you to their friends or put your offers in front of them many times before they'll be comfortable to buy from you. Forget marketing rules.

4. Submit your site to 100,000,000 places daily

You've got masses of time on your hands right? So you can afford to spend it all, wildly submitting your site everywhere to 9 million search engines and 99 gazillion free links pages.