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Looking to start a brand new website but not sure where to begin? Well, the first thing you have to decide is the programming language you are going to use.

The two most popular web languages today are PHP and ASP Dot Net. Each has its own pros and cons. So it really depends on which language you are comfortable with. Of the two, many programmers prefer to work with PHP for various reasons.

1) Easy to comprehend. PHP is a scripting language that is very easy to learn. A novice programmer can become an expert in no time with some practice.

2) Fast to execute. There are many pre-made libraries that are included in PHP, making code writing a breeze. Programs that require numerous lines of code now require just one or two lines. That translates to lots of time savings.

3) Lots of free learning resources. The PHP community is an active one and a quick search will reveal tons of free learning resources on the Internet. Some scripts are even free for download, making the job of a PHP programmer a whole lot easier.

4) Open source. Since PHP is an open source language, that means any developer can choose to work with this language without having to worry about hefty costs. PHP runs on Linux based operating systems, which are also free. It can connect to MySQL (free as well) databases, which is a highly reliable and scalable solution. For this reason, PHP is often the preferred choice for both personal and business applications.

5) No lack of developers. If you can’t do programming, you may wish to hire a PHP developer to maintain or upgrade your site on your behalf. You can visit any developer resource site and there will be many people waiting to be hired to develop PHP applications. And this talent pool continues to grow on a daily basis due to widespread adoption of the language.

6) Free open source applications. Many useful applications are freely available for download and they are mostly based on PHP. For instance, the Wordpress application is an advanced application that can be used as a content management system.

7) Affordable hosting. Since PHP can be run on any Linux server, there is no lack of hosting. You can easily locate affordable Linux hosting that cost less than $10 a month (for shared hosting). If you require more resources, you may also choose to sign up for a VPS or dedicated server solution.

Many developer tools available. As PHP is a highly popular scripting language, many tools have been created to increase the speed of development. For instance, with a PHP code generator, you can easily create useful scripts without having to write lines and lines of code.

Looking for web development software? Check out this cool PHP code generator.

Fashion Marketing news: A slew of studies, data, and articles seem to point out the growing success of niche sites, especially in the fashion industry. Hype or Fact? How can big online retailers and local fashion stores benefit from internet niches?

I like reading about pragmatic ideas to boost online sales of fashion goods, from apparel to accessories. I think that too much time is wasted in theorizing about internet marketing, and not acting about it.

Yet, I am going to talk about hard-core statisical studies and hype. Why?

Because I found in this month’s INC. magazine an article about niche marketing that made me connect together a lot of issues facing local apparel stores as well as big online fashion retailers.

Make money online by not carrying best-sellers

First, the article titled “A world without bestsellers” dabbles with buying patterns specific to internet consumers.

These patterns make up the Long Tail. You may or you may not know about it. For a concise explanation, go the Long Tail page on Wikipedia. Let’s just say that consumers can find and buy online products that a regular store could not carry. For instance, 40% of Amazon.com’s book sales reportedly consist in unknown titles that your regular Barnes and Noble cannot afford to carry in the bookstore next door.

The same seem to apply to fashion goods. For instance, in the INC. article, Zappos’ Tony Hsieh says that:

“Today the company sells more than three million products across 1,000 brands. The top 20 percent of products account for half of revenue, the bottom 80 percent, the other half.”

So, at Zappos, the 20 best-selling items represent only 50% of the revenues. This is a far-cry from the usual 80/20 rule that usually applies offline, when the top 20 best-sellers make up 80% of the revenues. The 80/20 rule is drawn from the works of economist Pareto.

Online sales of fashion goods make Pareto Principle redundant

This is the gist of a February 2007 study called “Goodbye Pareto Principle, Hello Long Tail: The Effect of Search Costs on the Concentration of Product Sales.” It was written by researchers at the Sloan School of Management at the MIT. Better, this study is based on “several years of sales data at a private-label women’s clothing company that offered the same merchandise through its catalog and its Internet store.”

Fashion goods are really at the forefront of this trend. Think about all the sites of the specialty sites that have sprung up, from sites selling discontinued lines of products to sites selling only to a sub-demographic. Buyers will turn to the web for hard-to-find glasses or for styles that regular retailers would deem too original to carry.

A company called Niche Retail is specialized in doing just that. The company says that they actually avoid carrying best-sellers, as big retailers can usually manage to kill the business by discounting the most sought-after items. By the way, Niche Retail’s logo reprents the Long Tail graph.

Style is a personal matter. Fashion professionals did not wait for the Long Tail theory to launch niche product lines. But the internet does offer interesting further niche opportunities:

- established brands and big online retailers can find relevant niche sites for some of their product lines

- local fashion stores are indeed niches themselves; they can use the internet to get more exposure

Big brands and retailers going after niche consumers

This very site spends time presenting you new fashion blogs, new fashion sites, and new fashion communities (see Fashion 2.0). Because fashion can get very personal, it has always been a good conversation topic. Now, the internet allows you to become a fashion critique in a snap. Big fashion actors can go after these niche sites to get their attention.

For instance, niche TV channels are popping up on the internet, due to the low barrier of entry, as reported in this article of the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper gives the example of clothing chain Express sponsoring the Ford Models web tv. I would add the example of “Ask a Gay Man”, the colorful and popular fashion critique show on YouTube (see my previous note on the subject), which has gotten founder William Sledd a TV deal with Bravo.

But you not have to be big to go after these niche sites. For instance, Ujeans, a made-to-order jeans company sponsors competitions on social network site StyleMob (“a new community for street fashion inspiration”).

Local fashion stores are so niche

I see here a chance for local apparel stores as well: a niche can be geographic.

A local store owner may be the best person to know what senior citizens like wearing in the Boca Raton area. Why not put up a website, where you can share your expertise? When local people use Google to find information about clothes they like, they will find your website, enjoy your expertise, and visit your shop.

Marketers are encouraging local stores to go online and advertise. A book called Marketing your retail store in the internet age does a great job of giving pragmatic and inexpensive tips to local store owners. Meanwhile, Google is pushing local ads heavily. Its AdWords system allows you to display your ad only to people searching from your zip code. Moreover, Google Maps allows you to mention your store in the popular map system, so that when people search for “women’s fashion, 97108″, your store shows up.

No wonder that local advertising on the internet is booming. According to eMarketer, local online advertising spending in the US will reach $2.9 billion in 2007. Local search is great for a local fashion store or a geographical niche site. One of the best resources about the subject, with how-to-s and advice, is Clickz’s Local Search column.

Fashion sales are booming online and online fashion marketing may be one of the hottest topics right now.

Thibault Masson is the creator of Fashion-Fox.com, the site where Fashion meets Online Marketing.

A recent study of 29,000 business startups noted that 26,000 of them failed. Of those failures, 67% had no written business plan. Think that’s a coincidence?

Here’s the top 10 myths Solo Entrepreneurs often have about business plans-usually, the reasons why they don’t have one. De-bunk the myths, and see how having a business plan for your solo business, can actually be easy and fun–and can jumpstart your success!

1. Myth: I don’t need a business plan–it’s just me!

Starting a business without a plan is like taking a trip in a foreign country without a map. You might have a lot of fun along the way, and meet a lot of friends, but you are likely to end up at a very different place than you originally set out for-and you might have to phone home for funds for your return ticket.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Successful Solo Entrepreneurs know that the exercise of creating a plan for their business really helps them think through all the critical aspects of running a business, make better business decisions, and get to profitability sooner.

2. Myth: I have to buy business plan software before I can start.

Business plan software comes in many shapes and sizes, and prices. Many are more geared at small and growing businesses with employees.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Software can be helpful-but it’s not required. Software is more likely to help if you have a more traditional type business, like a restaurant or a typical consulting business.

3. Myth: I need to hire a consultant to write my business plan.

Consultants are expensive and don’t really know as much about your business as you do!

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Your business IS you-and you need to be intimately involved with the creation of your business plan. A better strategy, if you think you need professional help, is to hire a coach or mentor-someone who can guide you in what you need to do, not do it for you.

4. Myth: The business plan templates I’ve seen have all these complex-sounding sections to them-I guess I need all those?

The only time you need to follow a specific outline is if you are looking for funding.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Your business plan needs to answer ten basic questions-that’s it! Don’t make things more complicated than necessary.

5. Myth: My business plan needs to be perfect before I can start my business.

If you wait for everything to be perfectly detailed, you may never start.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: If you have at least a first draft that answers those ten basic questions, you are ready to launch your business! Make your business plan a living, evolving document. In the startup stages, review and update your plan every 2-3 months. As you grow and stabilize, you can slow down the review cycle to every 6-12 months. All business plans should be reviewed and updated at least once a year.

6. Myth: I have to do everything I say I’m going to do in my business plan, or I’m a failure.

Many Solo Entrepreneurs never start because of this myth-which leaves them feeling that the success of their future business suddenly rides on each stroke of the pen or click of the keyboard!

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Think of your business plan as a roadmap for a trip. Expect to take some detours for road construction. Be flexible enough to take some exciting, unplanned side trips. And don’t be surprised if instead of visiting Mount Rushmore, you decide to go to Yellowstone, if that turns out to meet your vacation goals better!

7. Myth: A good business plan has a nice cover, is at least 40 pages long, must be typed and double-spaced…

Business plans intended for investors, such as a bank or venture capitalist, must meet certain requirements that such investors expect.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: As a Solo Entrepreneur, your business plan need only satisfy YOU. It might be scribbled on a napkin, on stickie notes on your wall, or consist of a collage of pictures and captions. It might be all in one document or scattered among several mediums. As long as you know it in your head and heart without having to look at it, and and it is easily accessible to you when you have doubts, that’s all that is necessary.

8. Myth: I don’t need a loan-so I don’t need a business plan.

YOU are the investor in your business-and would you invest in the stock of some company without seeing a prospectus?

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: Seeing your plan in black and white (or color, if you prefer!), can give a whole new view on the financial viability of your business. If “doing the numbers” seems overwhelming, remember you don’t need fancy spreadsheets. Just lay out a budget that shows where all the money is coming from (and going), and have an accountant review it for additional perspective.

9. Myth: My business plan is in my head-that’s good enough.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes can’t remember what I planned yesterday to do tomorrow, if I don’t write it down!

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: There is a real power in writing down your plans. Some schools of thought advocate that the act of writing a plan down triggers our subconscious to start working on how to manifest that plan. And, of course, it’s a lot easier to remember when you have it in front of you. And a lot easier to share and get feedback from your non-mind reading supporters.

10. Myth: Friends and family are the best sources of feedback and advice on my business plan.

If your brother is an accountant and your best friend is a market research expert, then this might be true.

Solo Entrepreneur Reality: As well meaning as our friends and family can often be, they just aren’t the best way to get honest, objective guidance. Instead, seek out folks that have specific knowledge that will help you, are willing to be candid with you, and that have a genuine interest in helping you succeed. A business coach is one resource to consider!

Terri Zwierzynski is a self-employed business strategist and marketing consultant to solo entrepreneurs, and a grassroots promoter of the solo entrepreneur lifestyle. She runs Solo-E.com, the resource website for the self-employed which attracts thousands of solo home business owners monthly from over 100 countries on six continents (and was recently named a finalist for “Website of the Year” in the 4th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business).

Find more articles about Business Planning at Solo-E.com, plus get a copy of our new ebook, “25 Surefire Ways to Capture More Clients, Get More Done in Less Time, and Make More Money — in 90 Days or Less.”

Tennis Skills Level Up

Agassi, Sampras, Kournikova and Hingis are some of the names immortalized by the game of tennis. Tennis had been a popular sporting event in the international scene. It could be played in singles or doubles. Since its creation, it had evolved drastically. This evolution or change had gone ‘virtual’ and simulation various tennis software are out in the market to hone and sharpen tennis skills.

Tennis: In Virtual Reality

Tennis software is an application that could be use to hone or work on related tennis skills through personal computer platform. It is a useful utensil that gets an individual an overall feel of the game. This software is designed to aid professional, amateur or rookie tennis players to play the game better. Since this is a virtual or simulation software, it may include some of these features like, phonebook, match scheduler, game and practice reports, stroke rating and charting, play notebook, drill library, helpful tips and of course, game analyzer. These elements would surely give tennis aficionados a feel of what it is to be involved, in a way or two, in tennis at the comfort of using their own personal computers. That is what tennis plus technology is all about.

Tennis: Throughout the History

According to accounts, tennis began in France during the 12th century and at first it was the palm of the hand that was used as a paddle or a racket to hit the ball. Rackets emerged in the scenario in the 16th century and during this period, the term ‘tennis’ was used as well. Tennis was played indoors and the ball was allowed to hit the wall. Royalty like Henry VIII of England really loved the game (the real tennis). In the late 1870’s, the rules were devised and standardized. This evolution was made possible by the first championship games at Wimbledon, London.

The rules were propagated by the International Tennis Federation (formerly known as International Lawn Tennis Federation) in the early 1920’s. This movement had made tennis and its rules stable for almost eighty years. The tie-breaking rule was just the notable change since the federation started implementing the rules. In the late 1920’s, the first professional tennis tour was initiated and some French and American players performed exhibition games to paying patrons. Since then, professional tennis had been commercialized and its popularity soared internationally. Today, tennis is being played and enjoyed by a lot of individuals worldwide. Basics of tennis are also taught in some physical education classes and courses to promote healthy lifestyle and to promote the sports as well.

Playing Tennis

Almost all individual could possibly play tennis. To excel in tennis, an individual should have an interest in the sports itself. Investing on tennis paraphernalia (like sports gear, apparel and rackets) is definitely a must. Moreover, mental and physical preparation should also be considered because tennis is also considered a game of wits and tactics. Nonetheless, tennis should be played with passion and devotion in every game. In every sports, it is how an individual play the game that matters most.

Click here to learn more about tennis software or know about tennis court dimensions

There are many reasons why you could be in the market

for a new job right now. Perhaps…

==> You just graduated from high school–or even better,

college–and you’re ready to strike out on a quest for

your first “real” job.

==> Your worst fears finally manifested and you’ve been

downsized.

==> You’re bored with the career path you’ve been on for

the past few years, and you’re ready to strike out in a

new direction.

==> You want to change jobs (within your field) for better

salary, benefits, or chance at promotion.

Whatever your motivation, a powerful resume is

essential. In truth, a resume alone won’t get you that

dream job you’re craving. Not even if you implement

every resume writing tip you can get your hands on!

But a great resume will get you in the door for an

interview. It will make you stand out as a superior

candidate for the job you’ve applied for. And that

achievement is huge, given the fierce competitive

nature of today’s job market. Not only that, but a

well-crafted resume will put the decision-maker you

meet with in a hiring frame of mind. As long as you

don’t blow the interview, you’ll have a great shot at

that job!

Digest and apply each resume writing tip below as you

craft a powerful resume that will make all the

difference in your adventure to land a job!

POWERFUL RESUME WRITING TIPS: 10 Steps to Success

Resume Writing Tip #1: Gather your background

materials. To complete your resume, you’ll need to know

your dates of employment at each of your previous jobs

and when you went to school. You’ll also need to be

able to describe your skills and accomplishments on the

job, so put some thought into those areas.

Resume Writing Tip #2: Decide on a format. Before you

can start writing a resume, you’ll need to decide if

the functional or chronological format will work best

for you. Remember, you want to put yourself and your

abilities in the best light.

Resume Writing Tip #3: Put together a general outline.

A resume outline will help you get organized and will

prevent you from overlooking any essential pieces of

information that should be included.

Resume Writing Tip #4: If your resume is targeted at a

specific employer or career path, learn all you can

about what they need. Spending time on this research

will help you with your resume, with the cover letter

that goes with your resume, and with the upcoming

interview. Make sure you know what qualities will most

benefit the employer and think about how your abilities

match those qualities. (Read another resume writing tip

on how to target.)

Resume Writing Tip #5: Plan, plan, plan. Before you

actually start writing, spend time just thinking about

how you’ll present yourself in the resume. What is your

objective in seeking a job? This objective should serve

as a sort of bull’s-eye to structure your resume

around. What have been your most significant

accomplishments? You’ll want to highlight them. What

unique qualities do you bring to an employer? Think in

terms of benefits. Also think about the resume design

you’ll use, the fonts within, and the resume wording .

Resume Writing Tip #6: Start writing, following your

outline. Take your time. Use a lot of action words . Be

concise. Don’t use “responsibilities included” or

“responsible for.” It’s a waste of space. Use bullets,

rather than long paragraphs.

Resume Writing Tip #7: Cut and paste your content into

your resume template. If you’re at this site, you’re

probably not an experienced, professional resume

writer. So, take a resume writing tip from a pro. Use a

resume template . There is no reason why your resume

must look amateurish.

Resume Writing Tip #8: Review, edit, and proofread like

a maniac. One of the biggest resume mistakes is typos

or grammatical errors. These errors may seem trivial,

but they can cost you the interview, and ultimately the

job. After all, if you can’t be bothered to make sure

that your resume is 100% accurate, what guarantee is

there that your job performance will be high caliber?

Resume Writing Tip #9: Get someone else you trust to

look at it. It can be really helpful to get someone who

knows you to look at your resume. Not only are they

more likely to catch simple errors, but they may point

out strengths you’ve missed or underemphasized. Tell

them you want their honest opinion and you’re open to

questions. Use their input to clarify your resume. Even

if you write your own resume, you may want to think

about getting a professional to do a resume critique .

Resume Writing Tip #10: Send it out into the world. The

more resumes you submit, the more likely you are to get

an interview. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by

applying for only one job. And, don’t be afraid to take

some risks and apply for a job you’re interested in,

even if you don’t quite match all the qualifications.

Most employers ask for many more qualifications than

they absolutely require.

Hopefully, at least one resume writing tip on this page

has given you some food for thought. But don’t stop

your training here!

Kathi MacNaughton, a freelance writer and editor, has years of management and recruitment experience. For tips & advice on writing powerful resumes, see http://www.powerful-sample-resume-formats.com. Copyright 2004 Kathi MacNaughton. All rights reserved.