Although he doesn't seek out company of his ex teaching colleagues, he says, "Old colleagues I now occasionally meet are envious. I wish I could have a pound for every one of them that says,'if only I had guts!'"

Doesn't that sum up this Internet lifestyle? 'If only I had guts.' Well, twelve people that we have talked with in this series have all had guts. And now they are all reaping rewards.

BizE-zine: What pushed you to give up teaching - and what did you move on to?

AF: I started working life as a Physical Education and History teacher in a very tough Senior School in Birmingham. After injuring my back fairly severely I had opportunity to do a Masters Degree (in Philosophy of Education of all things.)

My brief spell in academia was enjoyable, but when I went back to teaching for a year, I decided it wasn't for me. It wasn't kids. I loved them no matter how tough they were. It was politics and eternal BS. I'm sure I made right decision because I believe situation is even worse now.

So I took best decision I ever made and moved part- time into direct sales. I started selling to individuals in their homes and progressed to Area Manager within three months - earning three times my teaching salary. Within two years, I was Sales Director responsible for Corporate Accounts. I suppose I am one of those people with a natural ability for sales.

BizE-zine: Do you ever miss teaching?

AF: No! I think after you have been in real world of business for a while, you see teachers as being petty. They do a very important job, but boy do they make it more difficult than it needs to be. In any case, my soon to be ex-wife is a Head teacher - so I have had my fill of teachers!

I do run a junior football team and scout for Birmingham FC's academy in my (spare?) time, which means I still fulfill that desire to help kids

BizE-zine: How did you move from sales to Internet?

AF: In 1998/9 my business was bought out. After a period of contemplation, a friend made me an invitation and I wound up selling web sites. I knew nothing! Not one end of a PC from other. (Some say I still don't). But I could sell and it was a 'flops' period in Internet development because of all hype. 'Flops' are people with their check books out before you get there. A fair percentage of people WANTED a web site because of hype. It was very easy at first for an accomplished salesman in this environment.

So, I took selling web sites into my own business.

BizE-zine: What happened next?

AF: Web sites became very tough to sell after dot- bombs hit in 2000. The environment totally changed after initial rush. Sales resistance ruled. This was further strengthened as business people started to realize that web sites were not panacea for business that all hype promised. Of course, fact that average businessperson was being contacted several times a day by wannabe's and professionals alike offering to 'build a site' just made it harder.

My solution to this was to write an ebook/course, which launched in September 2000. It was called 'How to Sell Web Sites Like Wildfire' and directly addressed sales resistance problem that was cutting web designers income.

BizE-zine: Looking back, do you know of any of people or businesses who you sold sites to in heyday, that actually made successful web businesses with them?

AF: Well I am bound by a confidentiality agreement (I sold my web design business), but there are two that I am very proud of. Both of them have offline promotions that drive traffic to their sites. They do VERY well.

BizE-zine: Was your book an immediate success?

AF: The book has an asking price of $97. In latter part of 2000, it accounted for 90% of my income. The same was true for first few months of 2001 as I took on several joint ventures. Eventually, sales started to plateau but by then I was getting offers for other opportunities.

Sales still roll in for book almost daily. But it's on and offline spin offs that came from writing book that account for income today so actual numbers sold are only a small part of equation.

I now consult for a large web designer on new business sales. Also, I get frequent requests to write copy for sites and offline campaigns on a profit share basis. I also have web site 'projects' where I consult offline businesses on how to get best out of their web sites.

BizE-zine: So you started making a profit online from very start?

AF: That's beauty of an info product - it is almost instant. Apart from length of time it takes you to write a comprehensive, quality, 250-page ebook!

But it's best thing I ever did because of doors it has opened for me, and contacts that I have made all over world.

It took me well over two months to write. But it is a comparatively high priced ebook/course with a great deal of content.

Selling an ebook at $97 that still brings in regular income nearly 2 years later has proved a good model for me on topic of my expertise.

BizE-zine: Can you suggest some basic pointers for people who are setting up their own web businesses? What must they do, and what should they avoid?

AF: Concentrate on copy, NOT design. By far most useful skill you can have is mastering direct, emotional-response copywriting. In other words, being able to get into people's heads and make them WANT your offering. I am getting better at it. Seriously. But it has taken a while.

I have recently compiled emails to cold personalized prospects that have achieved a massive 20% response. And, as Martin knows, a recent offer of mine received an astonishing *80%* response rate!

Quality of copy is key to success. Definitely.

If you can't write, cut a deal with someone who can. You have to be able to MOVE people. Beg, steal, borrow or barter with a good copywriter because without emotionally directing prospects you will sell diddlysquat! (That's colloquial English for not very much.)

Do you know your Web site's objective? With an objective to help overcome your main challenges, you can work smarter, not harder. Through this second article in four part Web Site Marketing Plan series, learn how you can consider business building models and customer stages when setting objectives.

Think of a Web site objective as "big picture". In general terms, objective answers question "How can I use site to overcome my business's main Internet related challenge?" or "What is purpose of my site?".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Customer Stages: Awareness, Interest, Trial, Repeat ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When setting your objective, it may help to think in terms of awareness, interest, trial, and repeat. These concepts are often used in marketing to explain stages a new customer (or site visitor, in this case) goes through on path to becoming loyal to your business. The potential visitor must first become *aware* of your site. Once aware, you must spark an *interest* with potential visitor, motivating her/him to *trial* - responding to a call to action on your site. After (s)he visits your site, that person becomes *loyal* by revisiting in future.

You may be able to most effectively build your business by focusing on one or two of awareness, interest, trial, or repeat visits, then changing your focus over time. If your site is brand new or known to very few people, for example, your plan is likely to concentrate on ways to increase awareness and interest. A focus on interest and trial may be in order, however, if you get an above-average number of "window shoppers" - visitors who never purchase (or do not respond to some other call to action). Alternately, for example, if you sell multiple products or a product that needs replenishing, focus on repeat purchases may be more effective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Business Building Models ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Direct Revenue/e-Commerce

Some of most known Web site objectives relate to e- commerce or other types of direct revenue from site. That is, objective is to establish a direct source of revenue from either orders or advertising space. There are different e-commerce options, or models, to consider if your site objective is direct revenue. To learn about your options, go to http://www.bpubs.com/Internet_and_E-Commerce/ and explore articles in "Strategies and Models" section.

There are other valuable ways, beyond direct revenue, a Web site can enhance your business:

Build Brand Image

A long-term objective for your site could be to improve sales by building an image for your product, brand, and/or company. Increasingly, this is an explicit goal for large companies with ample budgets. Small-budget companies can follow suit on a more affordable scale by building an image during natural course of marketing. You can do this by consistently presenting similar design elements and "personality" at each point of contact with world - whether that contact be virtual or physical.

Enhance Customer Service