Build an ISP Business Plan - 6/6: Putting It All Together  [June 19, 2000]  
At this stage, you've done 95 percent of the work, but the remaining piece—final presentation—is perhaps the most important. After all, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Build an ISP Business Plan - 5/6: The Financial Plan  [June 9, 2000]  
A financial plan provides the core justification for your solicitation of outside funding—the dollars and sense of how you'll make investors' money grow. Sound important?

Build an ISP Business Plan - 4/6: Operation & Organization  [June 2, 2000]
 Bankers or VCs who invest in your company are ultimately investing in you. These sections of the business plan are where you communicate your grasp of actually runnng an ISP.

Build an ISP Business Plan - 3/6: The Marketing Plan   [May 26, 2000]  
You may have a first-rate organization and a winning product, but without solid marketing your prospects for success are limited. Here's how to supercharge your plan with marketing power.

Build an ISP Business Plan - 2/6: Analysis & Forecast   [May 19, 2000]  
The Industry and Market analysis—plus your Sales Forecast—will not only will be scrutinized by potential investors, they'll be the foundation of your day-to-day operating realities once you're in business. Take time to get them right.

Building an ISP Business Plan - 1/6: The Basics   [May 12, 2000]  
Anyone trying to break into the ISP business today without a well-honed business plan is throwing away time, effort, and money. This first of a six-part series lays the foundations for a winning business blueprint.

Volunteering for Fun and Profit   [March 24, 2000]   
You've heard about doing well by doing good? Well, guess what? It works!

The ISP Future   [March 10, 2000]
 The times they are a changin' for independent ISPs. Regulation, legislation, consolidation, and other forces threaten ISP life as we know it. Can the little guy survive? Maybe even thrive?

The ISP Generations   [March 3, 2000]
 Emerging industries are shaped by technical expertise and market demand. As they mature, other business forces come into play. Has the Internet service business reached a turning point?

Closing the Deal   [February 25, 2000]  
 There are hundreds of time-tested methods for closing a sale. But unless you ask for the order, even the most polished preliminaries aren't likely to bring home the bacon.

Selling Value   [February 11, 2000]  
 If you're selling a quality product—and you're doing it right—you shouldn't have to cut your price to close a deal. Here are some tips on how to avoid getting backed into a price-defined corner.

The Visionary   [February 4, 2000]   
Like most types of inspiration, a personal business vision may not be easy to come by, but once you've found it, it will carry you to success.

Focus   [January 14, 2000]
It may sound absurdly simplistic, but just taking the trouble to thoughtfully articulate your priorities can revolutionize your working life—and your life in general.

Required Reading   [December 24, 1999]
My Christmas-Eve gift to you is a list of books that have helped shape my life, attitudes, and career. They'll help you run a successful business and find fulfillment.

'Tis the Season   [December 10, 1999]
While you're getting into the holiday spirit, why not do some good for your business—and for the community you serve. The two go hand in hand.

Spit Happens   [December 3, 1999]  
Things always go wrong—especially in the ISP business. While there's not much you can do to prevent this, how you handle problems makes a huge difference.

Multi-Level Marketing   [November 19, 1999]
Multi-level (aka 'direct') marketing is a viable way to sell Internet services. While you can make lots of money this way, it's a huge undertaking—and not for everyone.

Marketing With Seminars  [October 29, 1999]
You may not think of yourself as as expert, but your customers do. Seminars let you leverage this expertise into higher sales and lower churn.

The Web Site as Marketing Asset  [October 19, 1999]
Sure, every ISP has a web site. But how many give their sites the thought and attention they really deserve? Properly done, an ISP's home page is a powerful tool.

Making Banner Ads Work for You   [October 11, 1999]  
As an ISP, you probably own some prime advertising real estate. Are you putting it to the fullest use?

The Power of Press Releases   [September 24, 1999]
They may not qualify as sexy marketing, but press releases can do the basic job of getting your business known in the community—without gobbling your budget.

Keeping Customers: Part 1 - Quality of Service   [September 10, 1999]
Good service makes for happy—and loyal—customers. More important, happy customers bring you new customers.
Keeping Customers: Part 2- Relationship Building  [September 17, 1999]
ISPs can't afford to be an anonymous presence like the local telco or gas company. An active relationship with subscribers helps reduce churn.

Compensating Salespeople: Part 1  [August 20, 1999]
Keeping a salesforce happy and motivated is a complex art. In this first of a two-part series, we delve into base salaries and sales quotas.
Compensating Salespeople: Part 2  [August 27, 1999]
Following up on last week's look at base salaries and sales quotas, we here look at the complex art of setting sales-commission rates.

Reseller, Referral, & Affinity Programs  [August 13, 1999]
These three basic marketing techniques are proven performers that probably build more ISP subscriber growth than all other approaches put together.

Management 101: Creating Structures  [August 6, 1999]
 When a business grows too big for everyone to report directly to the top, management is born. Its goal is structures that distribute responsibility and increase efficiency.

Building Your ISP Sales Force   [July 30, 1999]
ISPs are typically underpowered in the sales department. Correcting this situation calls for some management creativity and a better understanding of what selling is all about.

Special Offers: Tracking Results   [July 23, 1999] To gauge the effectiveness of special offers or other marketing campaigns, you've got to accurately track customer response. Then you can put your $$ where you know it works best.

Special Offers: Handle with Care   [July 16, 1999]
Special offers are a time-honored tool for building your business. The tricks of the trade are fairly simple, but there are special pitfalls for ISPs.

Pricing Your Services - Part 1: Dialup Acces Bassics  
Pricing Your Services - Part 2:Basic Operating Costs
Pricing Your Services - Part 3: Web Hosting
Pricing Your Services - Part 4: Dedicated Access

Bleeding Blue  [June 11, 1999]
Does the culture of your company—your product—run through your veins? Success comes easy when you really believe yours is the best. If you don't, you may need to make some changes.

Can Your ISP Pass the Bus Test [June 4, 1999]
It happens all to often with ISPs: One key employee is the only person in the operation that really knows how the system runs. It's a situation that puts the whole organization at risk.

Free ISPs: Are They A Real Threat?  [May 25, 1999]
Some traditional ISPs are quaking in their boots at the prospect of competing with free service providers. Others dismiss this model as doomed to failure. What's the reality here?