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In this edition of Web Enlightenment we'll be talking about the struggle entrepreneurs have with shifting their thinking about the web as well as one of my favorite geeky subjects: Star Trek.

This newsletter focuses on giving you practical, interesting insights into how to successfully use technology as a tool to improve the way you do business. Bridging the gap between knowledge and understanding that all entrepreneurs have will help you make money online.

Please hit reply and tell me what your biggest challenge is on the web, I answer every email sent to me.

All the best,

Ask not what your profits can do for you
...but what you can do for your profits

I've been chatting with Entrepreneurs recently about how they think about the web, as well as the challenges many people have in shifting their thinking effectively.

We all know the web is different, we all know you can't just apply brick and mortar principles to the online world and succeed - but how do you really go about changing the way that you think?

With this question in mind I started remembering my trip to Las Vegas and the Interactive Media Conference this past May. After the show ended I spent an extra day in Vegas, but I didn't gamble or do any of the other typical Vegas activities - being the geek that I am I spent most of the day over at the Hilton hanging around "Star Trek The Experience".

For those of you that don't know I am a huge fan of Star Trek, I have every episode on DVD and have seen them all more than once. One of the coolest things they have at the Hilton is the chance to have your picture taken on the bridge of the Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), here is what I look like while in command. Please note that despite my begging they would not give me a phaser, this seemed unreasonable to me but they said something about ray gun insurance being very problematic.

There are many aliens in the Star Trek universe and one of my favorites are the Ferengi. For those of you that don't know the Ferengi are the merchants of Star Trek in the same way the Klingons are warriors. They have an entire culture built around commerce , their "ultra-capitalist" adventures are lots of fun to watch.

Part of the Ferengi culture (I know I'm really stretching here but stick with me) are the "Rules of Acquisition" , which they treat in the same way other folks might treat a bible. While I was in Vegas I purchased my very own copy of the rules for only 6 earth dollars and if you are feeling especially ludicrous today you can buy your very own copy of the rules right here.

All of this brings us to rule # 89: Ask not what your profits can do for you, but what you can do for your profits.

Now there is some good advice for Internet Entrepreneurs here on earth when it comes to shifting your thinking.

It is true that the majority of websites suck and that lots of entrepreneurs just don't get the web - but once folks get past those basic hurdles they encounter a strange world. It is a world of measurement and numbers, a world where the customer is in charge.

Lots of people like to start by working on the "low hanging fruit" to improve their website and of course that is a reasonable way to begin, but over time it can cloud your thinking.

When you ask what you can do for your profit most of the gains seem very small. That makes lots of sense when you realize the dollars involved for an Internet Entrepreneur that improves their conversion rate by as little as one tenth of one percent.

So go ahead and ask what you can do for your profits, look at the most profitable segment of your website and work to improve it. It would never be appropriate for an earthling to act like a Ferengi. Thinking like them just a little bit can help tremendously with entrepreneurial efforts to better manage the web.

Another great book, another contest

Please hit reply and tell me about your greatest Internet challenge. The winning question - and answer - will appear in the next edition of this newsletter. The winner will be chosen based on which question is the most useful to Internet entrepreneurs.

You'd think that simply having your name appear here would be prize enough but to sweeten things up a bit the winner will also receive the latest updated copy of Guerilla Marketing, that classic Jay Conrad Levinson bestseller that should be on your bookshelf.