Tools like Ad Blocker which disables ads on webpages and replaces them with gray (at least in how it is configured with my Chrome theme), are on the rise. As the modern equivalent of a do not call list, this has wrecked havoc on some small businesses. There is a great article on this at  Arstechnica.com I would recommend checking it out.

Additionally, many people are utilizing most email providers’ filterers function to screen out solicitude newsletters. These newsletters end up becoming cluttering Gray Mail that fills up in boxes and hampers productivity.

Therefore, if you want to make money on the internet, be willing to look for other forms of monetizing or getting your information out there. The buyer has become aware. Now it is the vendors turn.

The Pushback: they know what we are trying to do. is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

Below are some links to examples of well designed Infographics. I don’t want to fill up the page with images so you will have to click through. However, before you get there, a few points of observation.

1. They all use color. This might sound simple, and there will be the exception, but for the most part this is still profound. Color is engaging. Color can also help lump ideas together and creat a cohesive whole out of many parts.

2. They all have data. Each of the below is trying to convey something that is important. So important that the creator does not want you to gloss over it. But, the data is presented in small chunks that help us grasp the whole picture without being overwhelmed.

3. They all have a flow. They understand the importance of telling a story and do so in a format that we might not expect. Reading left to right is so 2000′s. With new social media sites (like Pintrest and Tumbler) that are vertically driven, these image based graphics work well.

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/08/64-pinterest-marketing-tips-and-tactics-infographic/

http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/inspiration/infographics-tips-resources/

http://www.coolinfographics.com/

http://images.sixrevisions.com/2009/05/09-10_favorite_drugs.jpg

http://community.pennfoster.edu/blogs1/b/pfblog/archive/2012/04/10/student-debt-in-america-and-the-penn-foster-promise.aspx

http://visual.ly/

Finally, an image that , as a student who just finished finals, can relate to. Have fun!

Infographics: tips and examples is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

Thanks for the Inspiration is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

Free Movies? is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

A Balance of Information is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

1. Know where you want to go and why you want to go there.
Your vision is your most important asset. Once you have it and you know where you want to be, motivation is extremely easy compared to when you have somewhat of an idea, but not the whole picture.

2. Businesses don’t run well without revenue, so learn how to sell.
Learning how to sell sounds too broad, but the ability to sell some kind of product to someone is a very versatile knowledge. A good salesman is a good salesman no matter what they are selling. So learn to sell.

3. Sell what people want to buy.
A very easy way to boost your ability to achieve number 2 is to sell stuff people want. Make sure you are trying to adapt your business and product line to offer things people want. If you master the art of adapting to what the masses want, your business will be wildly successful for it.

4. Create cash flow and then profits.
It is extremely tempting once you start making money, to start cashing that money out. The smartest thing to do however, is to resist the urge and keep reinvesting in the business early on. After a little while once the cash flow is established a bit more and you have a bit more consistency, that;s when you can start pulling profits.

The Fundamentals of the Entrepreneur: 4 Things You Need to Know is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

1. Have a good rapport with your advisor.
If you do not get along to an extent with your advisor, you clearly can’t have a good working relationship. You don’t need to be best friends but you also should be able to have candid conversations with honest opinions being shared.

2. Your mentor should have done what you are trying to do.
If you are trying to become a marketing advisor, you shouldn’t take too much advice from a petshop owner. You are most successful when your advisor is someone who has done and accomplished what you are setting out to do.

3. Your mentor should hold you accountable for your results. (THIS IS BIG.)
You need someone who will be able to hold you accountable. Not just for your end goals, but the way you go about your business. You may have done a great job and missed your sales mark by 5%. That is not a huge deal if you worked hard and a few breaks just didn’t go your way. If things went great and you hit your sales goal in half the time you thought, but then slacked off when you could have exceeded your goal; that is the type of action your mentor should be able to hold you accountable for.

Ways to Know You Have a Good Mentor is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

1. It should sound good when said out loud.
Whether you use alliteration or rhyming or it just sounds great, your business name should sound good when said aloud.

2. The name should say something.
What does your business do? What benefit do customers get from using your service? Customers should be able to recognize what you do and be drawn to the benefits of using your service.

3. Don’t use initials.
Sure there is IBM and 3M, but those multibillion dollar corporations have been around for a long time. A business just starting out would be wise to avoid the boring use of initials.

4. Test it out in Google Adwords.
One super great tool at anyone’s disposal who was internet access is Google Adwords. Use Adwords to check and see the kind of monthly searches your business’ name is getting, and also to see what kind of competition you might have with a similar name.

Tips for Naming Your Business is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

1. Write down your plan (and don’t marry it).
Until a plan is on paper, you simply have an idea. Even if it isn’t terribly long, grab some paper and jot down your thoughts. Everything you need from market, financials, target dates, materials, etc.. This will help you really get moving. However, don’t make the common mistake to fall so in love with you plan that you won’t change it. Be flexible and adapt as you deem necessary.

2. Stay humble and ask for help.
Every person has their “blind spots”. Things that are wrong with our ideas that we are unable to see. That’s why you give your 10th grade english paper to someone else to proofread, and that’s why you need to have a few people with which to bounce business ideas off. Don’t get defensive and egotistical, let them show you what you may be missing with an open mind.

3. Delegate to employees and do not pester them.
Make sure you don’t take on too much for YOU. Don’t drive yourself crazy. Delegate to others to help lighten your load. However, don’t load yourself back up by simply delegating and then hovering over your employees constantly. Give them space to do their job and have room to breathe.

4. Use the internet.
The internet is incredibly important now, and becoming more important by the day. You need to integrate some part of the internet into your business. Either marketing, sales, customer service, anything.. If you are not using the internet somehow, you are falling behind.

Four Ways to Help Your Business Succeed is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College

1. Talk to customers.
Doing your research early can be critical to your situation. Be sure you are offering what is needed, and offering it at the right price. If you are thorough with your research, it can save you a lot of money and wasted time (which is money).
2. Choose your location carefully.
(No matter what your business is) If you have a brick and mortar cupcake shop or an online marketing business, make sure you choose carefully. Your URL should be clever and easy to remember, and you brick and mortar location needs to be thought out with respect to your target market.
3. Keep expenses down.
Look for every possible way to save. This will allow you to keep going longer, hopefully until revenue starts to cover your nut. Hire interns, trade services, postpone purchases, or pick up a broom and do it yourself.
4. Plan for problems.
The only thing as sure as death and taxes is that unexpected issues will crop up with your baby business. Sit down and think about everything that could go wrong — then, make a plan for how you will survive each possible scenario.
5. Analyze how it’s going.
Even though it’s hard to find time in those crazy startup days, it’s important to stop and look at your numbers to see where your business is headed. Is that where you want to go? If not, change course. Most successful startups went through multiple iterations before they found their groove.

5 Tips to Get Through Your Business’ First Year is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College