Here's an example of "me-centric" copy that shouts

Here's an example of "me-centric" copy that shouts "I'm a small, inexperienced business!":

About Me: I run a company called Flowers Forever, which provides elaborate floral arrangements, bouquets and live plants for every occasion. All of my flowers and vegetation are grown in my special hydroponic greenhouse with choice natural fertilizers. I never use chemical enhancements or commercial insect repellent. All of my arrangements are hand-configured and include my signature ribbon of quality. You can contact me for all your fresh floral needs at me@flowersforever.com.

And here's how you can make it sound bigger and better by changing just a few words and alternating references:

About Flowers Forever: We provide elaborate floral arrangements, bouquets, and live plants for every occasion. Our flowers and vegetation are grown in a special hydroponic greenhouse with choice natural fertilizer. We never use chemical enhancements or commercial insect repellent. Every Flowers Forever arrangement is hand-configured and includes our signature ribbon of quality. Contact our customer service department for all your fresh floral needs at orders@flowersforever.com.

Scour your web site for the dreaded "I" and "me" syndrome, and you will have taken an enormous step toward creating your professional virtual corporation.

Multiple identities: creating "departments" (without hiring staff)

When you deal with a big company, you expect to interact with certain departments for certain needs: if you're ordering a product, you contact the sales staff; if you're having trouble with a product, it's tech support or customer service; if you feel you've been overcharged or want to change your payment method, billing or accounting is what you look for. But how can you manage all those "departments" for your company when it's just you, or you and one or two others?

The good news is: dividing yourself into more than one department is a snap for a virtual corporation. Most web hosting companies provide you with several customizable e-mail addresses when you purchase a domain name, anywhere from 5 to 50 or more. When you set up your e-mail account, you can create addresses like service@yourdomain.com, orders@yourdomain.com, and president@yourdomain.com; then post these addresses on your web site in various sections to help create your big impression. If the company is just you, you can set up your account so that all e-mails arrive in your inbox. Most hosting services will allow you to set up separate folders according to the "To" address of the mail you receive, so you can keep your "departments" separated in your files.

If you have an employee or two, you can "give" them an e-mail address with your domain name and have messages sent to their existing e-mail accounts. Your web host will provide detailed instructions on managing your e-mail addresses when you sign up.

NOTE: We'll cover the actual setup and maintenance of your web site in greater detail further in the book. You'll find out how to choose a good web host, configure your e-mail addresses, and design a great-looking site without hiring a web designer.

Paper or plastic: why you need to accept credit cards