The marketplace of the world is open for business to anyone who has a product to sell or an idea to get across to as many people as possible. While the thrill of reaching literally millions of people across the globe is captivating, there are some drawbacks to consider.
The most important of these is to actually have a product or idea to market that will benefit everyone and make their lives better. If you are simply trying out or testing the water, then you are wasting the valuable time of everyone considered, especially yours. When you place something on the internet marketplace, it should be as near to perfect as you can render. You will have first-time lookers and hopefully buyers, but if you are ill prepared and not ready, these visitors may not return. You will have lost a vast part of your possibilities and then some. In essence, if you want to gain the most from your business venture on the internet, then have everything picture-perfect before you open it up to everyone. Check those details, and check them again. A loss of just one surfer because you are not totally prepared will become an opportunity floating in cyberspace for someone else to catch and promote.
Everyone feels that their product, service, or idea is the best there is. That could be true, but when you are dealing in the realm of millions of viewers, yours may not be so original or wonderful. There are competitors and they are lurking in every nook, cranny and shadow. You must be better, offer more, or present your offerings in a way that they have not. Originality will make or break any business online.
The concept of reaching people on a one-to-one basis is definitely better than anything that a computer can generate. In this regard, make note of names, or other vital information that will create an impression that the person at the other end is indeed important and his/her business is worth that extra effort. Making someone feel that they do count and are an integral part of your product or service's success is by far the best advertising for your site. Treat a visitor or subscriber as just another e-mail address, and they will seek alternatives. Everyone has value and incorporating this concept in your dealings on the internet will secure you a place in the sunshine of the internet highway. Let the others who deal in mass production but low individual recognition continue on. It may be successful once but return business or future business depends on how a person is treated each and every time they engage in some form of communication with you. Are questions handled promptly and politely, or do you wait until you have some spare time? Is your product or service explained accurately or is there so much hype that to find the real “thing” is next to impossible? Its your success that is on the line - and customer satisfaction is right there on the top list of ways to reach it.
The internet has become a fascinating, futuristic way of doing business. However, old-fashioned values and service will never be out of style. While the old adage to treat everyone the way you would like to be treated may be generations old, there is a reason it has sustained for so many years. It works and isn't that what we are all searching for - methods and systems that work?
ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 July
Arleen Kaptur has written numerous articles and books.
Websites:
http://www.arleenssite.com
http://www.Arleens-RusticLiving.com
http://www.webspawner.com/users/rusticliving
http://topica.com/lists/simpleliving