As published on Oct. 2, 1998

Working to keep you 'spam-free'

At Small-Business Showcase, we've gotten several complaints from customers who've received unwanted, personalized, bulk e-mail messages targeting their Internet PowerPages Web ad. Let us assure you, Small-Business Showcase DOES NOT sell our list of clients to any other organization. We are working to put an end to the current problem; we don't like receiving "spam" and we're sure you don't either.

In the meantime, we want to remind you to be Web savvy consumers, keeping in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

On the Web, you must keep your guard up against scams and shady businesses; anyone can pose as anything on the Web and while that may help legitimate small businesses compete with bigger companies, it also opens the door to those that want to disguise their real intent. Don't take chances with companies you aren't familiar with. Ask for references, a physical address, a phone number, a Web site address, etc., BEFORE handing over your credit card information or personal information.

If you've been contacted via bulk e-mail about your Internet PowerPages ad, we'd like to hear about it. Please let us know by e-mailing us (and include the e-mail message you received) at "Comments@sbshow.com" -- thanks!

Check out your global marketplace

Are you curious about Cameroon, happy about Hong Kong or knowledgeable about Norway? You might be after a quick trip to Headhunter.com, which provides a country-by-country guide to Internet populations.

Pssst ... Cameroon had 2,000 people accessing the Internet as of January 1998; Hong Kong's Internet population was measured at 850,000 in April 1998; and Norway had 601,000 people accessing the Internet as of January 1998.

You may not be doing international business just yet, but there's a whole world out there to expand into!

SBA launches two new loan programs

If you're looking for a financial boost for your business, check with the Small Business Administration. Last month the Small Business Administration launched two new loan programs targeting start-up businesses and new markets, making more than $1 billion available more quickly and more easily than ever before.

The goals of the two programs are "streamlined loans with less paperwork, fast turnaround, more lenders," according to the press release on the SBA Web site.

Highlights of the new loan programs include:

• SBALowDoc -- SBA will increase the loan ceiling from $100,000 to $150,000; assure a 36-hour turnaround on loan applications; simplify the process for participating lenders and borrowers; and provide systematic reconsideration of all loans that are not approved as submitted.
  
  
• SBAExpress -- SBA will make the three-year-old FA$TRAK pilot program available to as many as 500 additional lenders under the new name SBAExpress. SBA will increase the loan ceiling from $100,000 to $150,000; assure a 36-hour turnaround on applications; push for installation of electronic application systems by April 1999; and offer a new revolving credit feature.

Please contact the Small Business Administration or your local lender for complete information.

'Fall' into these great ideas!

Our designers are always hard at work coming up with all the "add-on" features you've been requesting for your PowerPages Web ads -- and when you ask for it, we make it available!

If you want to add something snappy and attention-getting to your Web ad, consider these great ideas from Small-Business Showcase:

• A "Visitor counter" to help you track how many people are accessing your site.
  
  
• As a Small-Business Showcase client, your Web ad is already registered to 10 of the top search engines, but there are a lot of search engines out there. Spread your coverage even further by choosing our "Search engine upgrade" and we'll submit your Web ad to more than 300 search engines!
  
  
• A beating heart? A blooming flower? A flashing "buy today" banner? Add some movement and animation to your Web ad!
  
  
• And don't forget, Small-Business Showcase can register and host your own private domain name -- so your Web address can be personalized, such as "www.yourcompany.com."

For more information, please call our customer service department at 1-800-492-0994.

Sites to see for Halloween

October is the month that brings us Halloween, the holiday of tricks, treats, ghouls and spirits. Some Halloween enthusiasts start planning their costumes and parties months in advance, but if you're still searching for ideas, why not search the Small-Business Showcase?

We did a special Halloween search for this e-newsletter, using some "spooky" and "festive" keywords -- costumes, candy, kids, tricks, treats, cats, party and ghosts -- and here's what we found in the Small-Business Showcase: costumes, 5 successful matches; candy, 27 matches; kids, 28 matches; tricks, just 1 match, but treats, 3 matches (we like that ratio); cats, 14 matches; party, 67 matches; ghosts, no matches (or could we just not see them?!).

Remember to support your fellow Showcasers and search the SBShow database when you're in the market for something!