The Online Trader Newsletter - published by Richard Grady

Hi Folks!

Your chance for some free advertising!

I really don't know where the time has gone but this is the last newsletter of 2003!

This time last year, I wrote a newsletter giving a summary of what I had achieved during the previous 12 months (if you are interested, you can read it at: http://www.thetraderonline.com/dec19.html). After reviewing my own progress during 2002, I commented that maybe next year (2003) would be the year that you could start your own Internet business and that this time next year, you could be emailing me with your achievements.

Well, it is now this time next year (if you see what I mean!) and I want to hear from any of you that did take the plunge and started an online business during 2003. Let me know what it is you are doing and how things have gone and I will pick the best stories to publish in this newsletter in the New Year. There are currently over 25,000 subscribers receiving The Online Trader every two weeks, so this is a great opportunity for some free advertising.

Simply email me your story to the address which you will find at the bottom of this page.

If you didn't start your Internet business in 2003 but still want to...

...then now is the time to start planning to get going in 2004. The last twelve months have gone by very quickly and so will the next twelve. Whilst it may seem like a massive task to get a successful online venture off the ground, all entrepreneurs have been in the same position and every single one of them started with a small step.

If you seriously want to start an online business in 2004, sit down and plan it NOW.

What product/service will you offer?

How will you sell? From your own website or an auction such as eBay?

What will your website look like? Draw an outline plan today.

How are you going to get customers to your site? Paid advertising? An affiliate program? Search engine traffic?

How will you fit in starting your online business around your day job?

What software/hardware/skills do you need to buy or learn to make your new business a success?

All businesses start with a single step - why not take yours during the the upcoming holiday period?

If you don't know where to start, visit my forum and chat with like-minded individuals - a superb source of completely FREE advice:

http://www.forum.thetraderonline.com

This time next year, I WANT YOU to be emailing me with your story. The first step is often the hardest, so make it today - it's as good a day as any :-)

Charity & Seasons Greetings...

Christmas is the time of giving and I had planned to set up some kind of special offer for my subscribers and donate the sales proceeds to charity. However, time has once again got the better of me and I simply haven't had the chance to do this.

Instead, I have made donations to five very worthy causes on behalf of anyone that has made a purchase from me this year. I have donated a total of Ł500 (about $850) between the five charities, so a HUGE thank-you on behalf of the charities concerned to all of my customers.

The five charities that I have donated to are listed below. Each one has a specific relevance to people that I know or have known but don't worry, I won't bore you with the details here :-)

Cancer Research
Childrens Liver Disease Foundation
National Heart Research Fund
British Council for Prevention of Blindness
Meningitis Research Foundation

Finally,

I would just like to thank all of my customers, subscribers and online colleagues for their support this year. I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Don't forget to send me your new online business stories....

See you in 2004 :-)

Until next time...

Richard Grady