http://www.zakon.org/robert/Internet imeline/

Granted, most of us had never heard much if anything at all about Internet until mid 1990's. The world's first Internet "browser" was released in 1993, it was called Mosaic. Until release of Mosaic, net was strictly for nerds, government employees and university's. The net was restricted to command line use of email, document storage and databases. With release of Mosaic, web finally had a visual interface.

1993 was year that flood gates began to open. With Mosaic coming online, White House finally got its own domain at: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov

and Bill Clinton became first U.S. President ever to have his own email address: president@whitehouse.gov

Though technology and speed of Internet has constantly changed throughout last 30 years, one thing has not changed, popularity of email.

"Email is one of 'Killer Apps' of computer world. Email is most successful communications technology since television, and in a few years will even surpass that. There are currently more than 891 million email accounts in use Worldwide and 440 million in U.S. alone - with an average of more than 4 email accounts per person." (Messaging Today - 2000 Electronic Mailbox Report - Feb. 21, 2001)

The top providers for email service in world today are Hotmail (with 86 million users), Yahoo (with 53 million users) and AOL (with 30 million users).

Email has become so popular that in 1998, Hollywood made a movie about two people who used email to get to know one another and fall in love. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starred in hit movie "You've Got Mail," named for most cherished voice message on AOL service. http://youvegotmail.warnerbros.com/

Statistics show that majority of people check their email first before they do anything else. In fact, people spend vast majority of their time online reading and answering emails.

While managing multiple email accounts might seem like biggest challenge facing Internet users today, it is not. The biggest challenge is having one computer and a household full of people who want to check their email. I run a business online, but if I do not give computer up to my wife once in awhile, I would not want to live in my house anymore.

Your business doesn't need a website to do what I'm going to show you here. This method is so simple, but overlooked by most local business owners, that when I explain this simple system to you, you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't think of it sooner. Best of all, you can start using this system TODAY.

If you're running a local business of any kind:

* cleaners * pet supply shop * hair salon * grocery store * lawn service * window washer * ice cream shop * dentist * personal trainer, etc...

...you should be using email RIGHT NOW to increase your profits.

Let's say you own a local hair salon, for example. Obviously no one is going to go on Internet looking for a hair stylist. People will not type words "hair salons" in a search engine to find a local hair salon. So what you should do is maximize income potential of every local customer that does frequent your establishment.

Here's what you do: When a customer is paying for their service and they come to your register, make sure you collect their contact information. You want to get their first name, last name and email address logged into your database. I'm sure next to your cash register you have a computer where you could easily enter this information. If you don't have a computer next to your cash register...GET ONE!