Picture greeter in WalMart stores, one that gives you a warm welcome, offers you a cart and a flyer announcing specials for day. Suppose this person was directed to turn aside every tenth person who enters store, saying, "Sorry, we don't want your business today." Then asks them to leave.

If this were repeated throughout all stores, WalMart's bottom line would drop. One might guess by 10%, number of people being turned away. But drop would be considerably more, for costs of salaries, inventory, general overhead and such would remain constant at least in short term. Thus drop might exceed 20%

No successful business is likely to try this "new" technique, for it obviously would lead quickly to bankruptcy. Why then do so many webmasters apply similar methods with such determination?

A Partial Answer

Anyone who has ever created anything, be it a bookcase, a novel, or a website, knows how difficult it is to be objective about results of efforts largely driven by our emotions. Since we created it, we even embrace flaws we recognize. For to do otherwise might mean discarding result and beginning anew.

To succeed, a writer must discover what people want to read and a pleasing way to present their content. That is, they find a way to satisfy needs of their customers. Else success eludes them. The same is so of home builders, musicians, and shopkeepers of all kinds. It is also true of webmasters.

The Lack Of A Reality Check

If you open a brick & mortar business, up front costs must be expended. And on going monthly expense begins immediately. Profits must soon cover, else you go broke. Each day you total your gross, subtract a percentage for overhead, and quickly determine how much you can tuck into your pocket.

Except that start up costs are minimal, above applies equally to an online business. However, many choose to ignore these realities. They can afford to do so for a considerable period of time, because overhead on a website amounts to pocket money. Since they do not have to pay rent or for new inventory, they can avoid facing reality of impending failure almost indefinitely.

Solid Guidelines Are Absent

One of problems all webmasters face is lack of uniform guidelines. In opening an offline business, you have ample resources available that point way to success. While many also apply to an online business, specifics about Web are lacking.

Many come to Web determined to do their own thing at any cost. Go for it, if that's your wish. But to succeed, reverse emphasis. Do what your visitors want in way they want it done.

First Comes A Flawless Site