From: Jeanne Bermudez <crocodiletears@uswest.net>

Dear Bogdan:
I set up a modest web site in March 1999 after spending a solid month
receiving hundreds of newsletters on the subject of Internet marketing.  I
printed out many of the better issues to read in the evening while watching
TV.  This crash course in Internet marketing helped me a great deal because
I was able to start picking out the real information from the thinly veiled
"get rich quick" schemes.  I made a deal with myself that I would not shell
out any money for advertising or fancy marketing ploys for six months.

My business received its first order in April 1999 and began to steadily
grow from there.  I stuck to my "no advertising budget" but did submit to
search engines and FFA's and a few directories.  I also started a newsletter
for animal lovers called Pet Patter.  I did not accept advertising in the
newsletter but used it primarily to keep in touch with my very slowly
expanding list of subscribers. Things were rolling along quite nicely when,
in October 1999 I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery in
November.  Between the surgery and the following radiation therapy, I
completely missed the 1999 holiday season, having to post an  "on vacation"
(some vacation!) notice on my site.  I was barely able to fill the few
orders that people sent me but I managed to keep going.  By February 2000 I
felt well enough to start doing some promotion and to expand my site.   I
had received tremendous support from my newsletter readers through my
illness and realized that I had managed to form a very loyal community via
my newsletter.

The number of repeat customers is most gratifying and the number of folks
who say that they have been referred by a friend or associate tells me that
word of mouth advertising is working extremely well.  I check and answer my
e-mail many times each day. Establishing a friendly, helpful professional
relationship with my customers is paramount.

To my advantage, I have my own product, a product that I had sold locally
quite successful for several years.  Pet Bandanas?  They were a natural to
sell on the internet, easy to market, simple to manufacture and easy to
ship. Best of all, I absolutely love what I am doing.  I manage my own
website, I edit and publish my own newsletter, I design and  manufacture my
own products and handle all the paper work involved.

Do I now have an advertising budget?  Yes, I do use GoTo.Com to the tune of
perhaps $15 per month.  Other than that I do not spend advertising dollars.
I really cannot handle a major increase in  business at the moment.  What
about online ordering and credit cards?  I am afraid that if I took that
next step I would be buried in more orders than I could handle.  Eager
advertisers who try to talk me into spending my money may have a hard time
believing it, but I don't need to advertise at this point in time.  I don't
quite understand it myself but I am quite content to ride this wave of
buying enthusiasm.  On down the road I may need to change this, but for now
I am doing very well with my low tech, no frills site.  I am breaking all
the "rules" but am successfully marketing on the Internet anyway.

More and more of my customers are buying neckwear and headwear for
themselves, as well as their animals, so I am expanding my products to move
with this trend.  Wholesale and bulk orders for "people" bandanas are
increasing.  In the future I may have to drop the "Pet Fashions" part of the
company name.(g)

The month of May was my best ever, more than quadrupling previous sales.
June is another record-breaking month although not quite as big as May.  My
hard work and determination seem to be paying off.  Best of all, I am
passionately in love with what I am doing.  I wake up in the morning at 5
a.m. and can't wait to start work.  Sometimes I can be found at work late at
night, tweaking the website or shopping on line for that elusive "just
right" fabric.  I love what I am doing.  Not bad for a stay-at-home grandma,
would you say?

Jeanne Bermudez
-----------------------------------
CROCODILE TEARS PET FASHIONS
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Scarfs for Pets and People Too!
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