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Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t

Amazon.Com has blown it big time. Barns & Noble now has agreat chance to run them out of the game. Amazon had books locked. Committing major bucks, theysuccessfully branded the name. Most who think of the Web andbooks at the same time, now think of Amazon. It's difficult toidentify a Web based business as successful in branding as Amazonhas been. Heck, at first I had trouble spelling the name. But Ilearned. And I don't even have the site bookmarked. EnteringAmazon.Com into the browser works fine.They Have Top-Of-Mind Awareness I asked around among my friends. "Who do you think of on theWeb when you need a book?" All said, "Amazon." When I asked ifthey knew that Amazon now sells other stuff, most asked, "What?" Some asked the more important question, "Why?" Apart from books, they now offer Electronics, Toys, DVDs,Video, Music, Health & Beauty, Wireless Phones, Camera & Photo,Computer & Video Games, Software, Kitchen, Tools & Hardware, Lawn& Patio, Cars, Auctions, Gifts, and Outlets. They have made the mistake of believing they could extendtheir successful methods in selling books to selling mosteverything. In doing so, they overlooked a couple of points. Niche Marketing Is The Only Way To Go How does Amazon's expertise with books assure me they arealso experts with hardware? Or cars? Actually it diminishes myconfidence in their overall business expertise. I now havedoubts they know what they are doing even with books.Malls Don't Work On The Web Shopping malls work great offline, particularly those underone roof where visitors can wander in comfort without concern forthe weather. Once you've parked your car and gotten inside, itis only a few steps to the shop next to the one you are in. Andnot that far to a competitive shop at the other end of the mall. Amazon has overlooked the fact that the Web is one grandshopping mall. Creating a sub-mall on a single site won't workbecause it brings no additional benefits not offered by the Webitself. Given the URL, you can visit another shop in seconds. And you don't have to drag your kids and purchases with you.Are They Done For? It isn't possible to be all things to all people. Amazoncan't make this happen however much they try. Even Sears &Roebuck gave up on their awesome catalog business as anincreasingly urban population found shops relatively close by. It is my understanding that in selling books, Amazon hasshown good profits, at least over the last couple of years. It'sthese new sidelines that are killing them now. While it may takenew ownership to make it happen, they might make a comeback bytossing all but books, and scrambling once more to the top ofthis niche. Then again, it may already be too late. Barns &Nobel has not been idle.If Amazon Can't Make This Happen, Can You? No way. If you have a site which lacks focus, begin cuttingstuff left and right. Amazon's only hope of survival is to dropall products except books. While the content of your site maynot lead to such a clear cut conclusion, begin searching now fordeadwood, stuff of interest only to off-target visitors. Findit, then cut it, for the benefit of the entire site.What To Look For Ah, hah. There's a piece of the stuff. That Amazon.Combutton. Unless you are determined to support a losing battle,you are likely hoping to make bucks with this. How much did youmake off that button last month? Five bucks would be unusuallyhigh. But regardless of income, trash that button and narrowyour site focus by at least this much. A valid purpose to link to Amazon would be to make it easyfor your visitors to check out a book you are certain they wouldlove to know about. In making such a link, make it directly tothe book. I surely don't want anybody thinking even for aninstant that a buck in profit off a book means anything to me.Over Crowded Sites Abound You see lots of sites overstuffed with all sorts of things. You can probably see in seconds several things that should go. That banner exchange. That listing of affiliate programs. Andyou can probably see a need for a clearer statement of what thesite is all about, right up top. It's far more difficult to look at your own site with theobjectivity you have when looking at that of a stranger for wetend to fall in love with our creations. And we becomeaccustomed to things we have seen often, even if we hadreservations when we put them up. Get around this by asking others to take a hard look at yoursite. Friends are hesitant to knock, but give it a try. Askeach to find three things (three to keep it simple) that shouldgo, be improved or added. Further, as you surf, look for peopleoffering a free site evaluation. Take up every offer you canfind.Be Tops In A Niche And Ignore All Else It's impossible to be king of all hills. Amazon is learningthis. Hopefully you already see the futility of this approach,that it is doomed to failure. If you have not yet realized this,your site may need a serious overhaul. Whatever the case, seehow much deadwood you can cut from your site. A little bit ofpruning can bring about solid improvement.