What Sells Online?
1. Informational products & services
Though the commercial side of the Internet saw its initial boon in 1994, the Internet itself had been around a lot longer. It was, and still remains, an INFORMATIONAL tool. Without a doubt, if you are able to provide solid, unique and valuable information on your web site, the number of visitors and ultimately paying clients/customers to your site will be larger than sites using a strictly "sell only" approach.

Self help books, tapes, instructional guides, advice - these all have great potential. Got a consulting business? Consider going online, but be ready and willing to provide some information for free! I have a client who operates a web site called WayoftheHorse.org. Franklin is a "horse whisperer", and travels both nationally and internationally offering private consultations and seminars. On his web site, he (currently) offers free email consultations. This takes time and commitment, but every so often, results in a paid consultation or seminar booking. His free service has become an invaluable tool for expanding his business and reputation.

Web sites with valuable information sell themselves through word-of-mouth, and the fact that other sites will likely to link to you as an information source.

			
2. Specialty items/services
	

	Let's say you own a book store. You're going to have a hard time making any money if you concentrate on trying to market the best sellers. You've got Amazon Books to compete with, and they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their online advertising campaign. 


				

			
				

Try instead to identify a particular niche that YOU can dominate - say, books on wine-making. Concentrate on becoming ?The Source? for books on wine-making. Your hits may be lower, but those visiting your page are visiting because they are interested in wine-making. Your ratio of visitors to buyers will be far higher than if you try to market yourself more generally. 

				

				Now, if you can offer free, online information about the subject (just enough to whet their appetite, of course), your web site will most likely be very successful.


				

3. Local vs. global appeal
	

Let's say you own a local pet store. Chances are your customers are within a 20 mile radius of your location. You have little to offer customers overseas, or out-of-state for that matter. If this describes your business, then you should probably not make a huge investment in web advertising. A small, attractive web site outlining your services, products and hours of operation should satisfy your local clientele.
			

				

					

				

			
			
4. Prices
			
IS THIS YOU?... "I'm kind of in a high-end market. I don't really want to post my prices online. It might scare people off." Guess what. People are more nervous of companies that don't list their prices. Look at it this way. What do YOU think when you're researching items or services and discover a web site that doesn't post prices? You either a) think to yourself, "well, they must be really high priced, otherwise they'd tell me up front.", or b) you find another web site which DOES list their prices. Either way you loose. Post your prices! If you're higher than most of your competitors be sure to explain why. People these days shop online. they will be comparing your prices and services to your competitors'.

				

		

		

			
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