Personal-branding guru William Arruda has said that, in today's increasingly web-oriented business world, if you don't show up in a Google search of your name, you don't exist. That's pretty harsh but, if you're a business hoping to show a profit for all your hard work, it's probably true.

Trying to get a foot in Google's meticulously monitored door has prompted all manner of illicit, unethical, illegal, and just plain annoying tactics. If that's not the way you want to earn your claim to fame online, then don't let yourself be taken in by the endless parade of "surefire solutions" that undoubtedly fill your e-mail box day after day. Like watching your diet and exercising regularly, the best way to Internet success is a steady, sensible, step-by-approach.

One of the guidelines to remember is avoiding any words or phrases in your website, e-mails, or subject lines that are routinely associated with spam. Here are a few you don't ever want to use:

• "Dear Friend"
• "Don't Delete"
• "Information You Requested"
• Any phrase invoking Oprah's name, approval, or endorsement
• Any expressions related to medical care, debt, pornography, or sex

Of course, anyone who's ever sold merchandise, or shopped for it, knows we all appreciate a good sale--but be careful how you use words like "100% Free," "50% Off" or "Half Off." You definitely don't want to use those phrases in a subject line; instead, try something like "Valuable Savings from YourCompany on BrandX Widgets!" Any personalization you can offer gets your foot wedged a little bit further in the door.

Also, don't get carried away with question marks or exclamation points. Unfortunately, because incorrect or excessive punctuation can act as a red flag to search engine robots, trying to convey your enthusiasm or incredulity online may work against you. Even a simple gimmick, such as using all capital letters, can do more harm than good. At the very least, sentences in all caps are hard to read and process; they're also considered incendiary (thus the term "flame" for messages sent in all caps) and rude.

So what do you feature in your online communiqués? Good, meaty detail--the more, the better. If you sell brand-name products, trade on the reputation of those brands. Use them! Promote them! That's what brand names are for!

And don't feel you have to give something away to attract visitors to your site. In fact, one recent study showed that offering a free gift for signing up for a website newsletter rarely results in qualified subscribers. A more effective enticement is one that offers that potential customer a benefit, or a chance to experience your product or service firsthand. For example, instead of offering a free pocket calendar to customers who opt in to your newsletter (and it doesn't even have to be a newsletter--it can be the occasional e-mail on what your company's up to), offer a "buy three, get one free!" deal or a "free delivery!" bonus. One of our customers, Custom Images, offers free shipping on every order. The price of shipping is built into the price of each item, of course, but according to Melinda Sams, Director of Marketing,"customers really respond to the simplicity of a flat price."

The bottom line is this: the more a visitor knows about you, the more likely he is to use your website. Shopping online is still The Great Unknown to many consumers, and before they hand over a credit card out in cyberspace, you're going to have to earn their trust. Fortunately, only a small percentage of e-mail marketers bother to educate their customers before soliciting them, so your chance of looking like a good guy is pretty high!