At same time, another service might not move at all. No one wants it even though logic would say service should be a hot seller.

Wouldn't it be great to know exactly why and how customers feel about your business? Find out with a simple survey.

We don't say simple just to make it easy on you. Simple surveys work much better than long, complicated ones. Customers, who are always in a hurry, won't mind answering five questions, but they certainly won't take time to fill out a 50 question form.

Start your survey with a heartfelt statement about how each customer's views and opinions are important. "Please tell us what you think so we can serve you better!"

This gives customers a reason to fill out your survey and feel good about it. It also encourages them to dig down deep and answer honestly.

Start with a few yes/no questions: Are you planning to buy again in next six months? Is this your first visit to our web site?

Multiple choice questions are good, too: You want a car that is (a) economical (b) sporty (c) able to hold lots of kids and cargo (d) other (Please explain) Note: Make sure that you provide an "other" category -- customers will often think of things that you never even considered!

And we're all after one thing -- to get a piece of cyber pie and make money online.

Millions go online every day and sometimes it's difficult to be personal in dealing with people who we either want to sell to, subscribe to our e-zine, or just plain drag to our latest web site.

In a place where all things are virtual and it's easy to stereotype, it takes time and a lot of hard work to build a good and reliable reputation. And it only takes a short while for that good reputation to come crumbling down.

I'm a seller, a publisher and a web site owner, but I'm not here to give you a sales talk, ask you to subscribe to my e-zines or even implore you take a peek at my web sites.

Today I'm your prospective client or buyer, your potential e-zine subscriber and your web site visitor so I'm here to share with you what I think about things you've been doing to me and others.

*IF YOU'RE SELLING ME SOMETHING, how are you talking to me?

- Hey, I'm not dumb! The last thing I want to read from you is an ad implying I'm dumb. I read you're looking for less than average people to join you. Gee, what a boost in my self-esteem. I took one look at your headline and I promptly sent your ad to trash. I'd be surprised if you do get a lot of response.

- Give me a break! I don't need you to give me false praises about how great you think my web site is. And aww, shucks...you even attached a snapshot of my web site with itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow...err, small people getting pulled to my site as if my site's a magnet. But you know what? I don't own that site! Your e-mail harvesting software picked up my e-mail address from a site that published one of my articles. So no thanks, I don't want to use your search engine placement service to drive traffic to my site. You can't even get my site right!

- I never gave you permission! I'm a member of legitimate announcement lists so I can promote myself and read promotions of others. However, lists I joined are clearly not safelists so don't tell me we're both members of a safelist and that your message is not spam when I receive an e-mail from you offlist. Our association is only within limits of announcement lists we're subscribed to and just because we're both in those list doesn't mean you can keep my e-mail address in your address book. I never gave you permission to contact me later offlist to promote latest get-rich-quick program you just joined.

*IF YOU PUBLISH AN E-ZINE, how are you talking to me?