We often make mistake of viewing above as sales vehicles. We use them to sale our products or services. We should be thinking of them as communication vehicles first and sales vehicles second. Use them to communicate with people, swap useful and interesting information. Send details of useful free software. Exchange ideas and advice. All ways of building a relationship.

We need and want to sell our products or services which is why we are in business on net in first place. To do this successful we have to learn how to build and maintain professional relationships. We have to understand that first we network and then we sell. In other words we have to find cultivate and nurture relationship with other people so that we become like a friend who they can trust. Only by building trust will we get people to part with their money.

All best Sue

All forecasts indicate huge increases in level of activity on Internet, from those who will use it to buy all manner of items, possibly eventually alleviating need for giant shopping complexes we now have, to thousands (dare I say millions) who will be joining fortunate one’s who have been able to turn their home office and PC into a means to earn weekly wage.

What then, of all these unfortunate young people in a world where written word, once again, becomes as important as speech itself? How will they get on, what will be their lot in this Internet driven world of future? Dim to say least, I dare say.

In just last five to ten years way in which we communicate has undergone a huge change from telephone, telex (there's and oldie!) and letter to email. Anyone who goes to work in an office today, who doesn’t know how to use email, will be ‘incommunicado’. In fact, there are few who don’t exchange information, greetings and news in their homes among friends and relatives via email today. It’s simple, popular, cheap and secure way in which every type of communication takes place and what are we doing? Still turning out thousands of youngsters each year who have been short-changed by a system which has, albeit unexpectedly, left them unarmed, with no cover in an ‘illiterate no-mans land’.

There are some who have managed to come through ‘mill’ with a good degree of ability to express themselves with written word, but I would hazard a guess that there are two or three who haven’t for every one who has. The crying shame is that it’s not their fault.

If we are going to give in to a world virtually (pun intended) built around Internet, isn’t it a good idea if those in it are able to read and write?