Another thing about selling Web business specific products is that you are, in fact, selling a product. That is such a comforting thought! There is a basic demand for your product and it doesn't matter if your family or friends buy a heap of them!

The list of Web specific products is endless, here are a few:

Domains: You gotta have a name!

Hosting: Every Web business needs a home.

Website Design: Build and decorate your home. Writing: Fill your home with content.

Copywriting: Write about your product and make it sell!

Images: Let folks see what it looks like.

The products above are most basic items an Internet centered business needs. A name for its business and a place to call home; ability to do a written presentation with images. You can't go wrong selling any of those listed products. The competition will be great but you'll have an endless supply of new customers.

The following products are of a secondary nature. I'm including them because they will gain importance as we go into our Broadband future. As a matter of fact, most will be considered a necessity! Some are already widely used but will have new features when implemented for Broadband.

Audio: When visitors hear your voice it lets them know you are a person, not just a Website.

Video: So much better! You can present products, lessons, courses. Video is going to be big!

Scripts: A great way to build an Opt In list and discover buying habits of your visitors. Scripts can be used in so many ways to enhance your visitor's experience.

AutoResponders: Follow up to initial customer contact is so important. A Sequential AutoResponder is a must for doing business on Web. If you haven't already, get one!

Of course, there are many more Web specific business products. Most are connected with promotion and advertising. Some that come to mind: Traffic exchanges, message boards, linking automation applications, turnkey website packages, just to name a few.

When all is said and done, you're only person that will make decision about your business choice. However, if you are more comfortable selling a real product that fulfills a real need, list is endless! The Web is so young it guarantees supply of new customers will continue for many, many years to come.

by Francisco Aloy

(C)2004 Francisco Aloy ============================================ Agreement reminder, not part of article: Please include my working hyperlink in resource box. Remove paragraph before posting.

For example, Jane Smith has been hired as your company’s new director of sales. Not so exciting. However, reason you hired her is because she came from a major online retailer and is planning to overhaul your sales system to compare with state- of-the-art systems used by big guys. Hmmmm...that’s a lot more interesting. So why not tell media about it?

The key ingredient is context. Your headline may still look like that of a typical Executive Appointment release (Acme Names Jane Smith New Director of Sales), but starting with subhead, you begin your journey off page 8 of business section and onto page one (Hiring of Key Figure in Online Sales Explosion Marks Important Shift in Acme’s Sales Strategy). Ah, now you’ve entered realm of news, not business as usual. And a sharp business editor will see that a local company is doing something far more significant than just making a hire.

Dateline release, fax (or even messenger), email or regular mail it over to your local business editor and follow up with a phone call. Offer Jane Smith for interview, too.

The Media Alert

The Media Alert is a deceptively simple creature. It’s essentially a memo from you to TV, radio and newspaper assignment editors, city desk editors and others who decide whether a particular news event is worth covering. They’re used to alert press about news conferences, charity events, publicity "stunts" and other events.

The point of Media Alert is to, in just a few seconds, tell a journalist about event, how to cover it and why it’s important that media outlet, in fact, covers it. Most publicists are pretty good on first two points -- almost all media alerts do a decent job of telling what event is, where it will be held and what time it starts. It’s third aspect -- "why" -- that will make real difference, though. And it’s thing most publicists do a lousy of job of conveying.

First, a word about format. Use standard press release headings (contact info, "For Immediate Release" and headline). The rest of document should be a few paragraphs, spaced at least three lines apart from one another. The first paragraph, should begin with What: and continue with a one or two line description of event (WidgetFest 2004, a celebration of young minds). Next paragraph, When:, after that Where:

Now here’s key paragraph,

Why You Should Cover WidgetFest 2004: The brightest young minds from around region will gather to present their inventions, as Acme Corp. celebrates state’s top high school science students. The event will be a visual feast, with a host of awe- inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic, on display. As part of event, more than $10,000 in scholarships will be distributed to budding Einsteins by John Smith, Ohio’s Science Teacher of Year.

The key? This line: "The event will be a visual feast, with a host of awe-inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic, on display." I just spoke an assignment editor’s language, telling him that this will provide lots of cool visuals, making for great video or photos. The bit about scholarships and Science Teacher of Year assures him that this won’t just be a promotional stunt. So what are we offering? A non-promotional, feel-good event with great visuals. Just what an assignment editor is looking for.