Six Essential Elements for Internet Success
(c) 2000 Paul Hancox (51steps.com)

The Internet has pretty much become one big marketplace, and as with any free market, it is becoming dominated by a small number of players. For instance, how many people on the Internet have *not* heard of Amazon.com, the book company that has become, in the space of a few short years, the largest book retailer on the Web?

Given that large corporations have the money and the manpower to carve out a large presence on the Internet, smaller players and new Internet businesses are starting to ask the question: Is it still possible to succeed on the Web?

The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding "Yes". It is still perfectly possible to start a highly profitable business on the Internet, and even to beat the "big boys". If you are just starting out, here is my list of five ESSENTIAL things to do to get your business flying.

(1) INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Without a doubt, the very first step you should take before setting up on the Internet is to LEARN! Whilst there are many similarities between running a bricks-and-mortar business and an online venture, there are also plenty of differences.

For example: search engines, banner advertising, email, links - these are all unique to the Internet. Do you know the best ways to market using these tools? You can gain an immediate competitive advantage by increasing your knowledge on these subjects, and you can do this by reading as much as you can.

[Hint: Many of the larger corporations (and lots of smaller ones) are still in the dark about Web marketing! Beat them to it by learning as much as you can NOW.]

There's no shortage of valuable information out there. For instance, this newsletter publishes many useful articles each issue, so keep reading! ... Read as many different Internet marketing books as you can... don't just limit yourself to one or two. You'll find that each writer will share with you valuable information from their own unique perspectives.

(2) FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCT / SERVICE TO OFFER

I firmly believe that most products and services available in the real world can also be sold on the Internet. Even so, there are some things that are easier to sell on the Web: software, information, and electronic books are a few examples.

Finding the right product or service for your website means finding something that you are comfortable selling. If you already own an existing business, it may simply mean offering your current product range on the Web.

(3) DEFINE THE PURPOSE OF YOUR SITE

A lot of people who are just starting out in business on the Net believe that the role of a website is to sell their product directly. However, this does not have to be the case at all. A website can have many other functions, such as lead generation, gathering email addresses, providing technical support or product information, and for promoting your existing bricks-and-mortar business.

Determine from the start what you are going to do with your website. Do you intend to let customers order your products direct from the site? Or is it going to serve purely as a lead generation tool for your sales team to follow up later.

(4) WORK OUT THE COSTS

Setting up an Internet business will cost you money. Perhaps not as much as a bricks-and-mortar business, but you'll still need some cash to get started.

For instance, a dot-com Internet address (called a "domain name") will cost you about $70US + setup fees...

Then you'll need a company to "host" your site. In other words, they store your website on their dedicated computers and let the world have access to it. This can cost you anything from $20 to $100 or more a month, depending on various factors such as how much web space you want.

Next there's the design of your site. You can do it yourself or ... alternatively, you can hire a web designer, especially if you need more complex features on your site, such as a database, you may need to hire a programmer ... Contact sales@webfocal.com.au for web design and devlopment.

Finally, there's the marketing costs. Before you can make your first sale, you need to make people aware of your business.

So work out the costs of running your Internet business *before* you begin. It will spare you from any nasty surprises later on, and will help you determine whether your enterprise has a chance of being profitable.

(5) DEVELOP A MARKETING STRATEGY

Locating a shopping mall in a wilderness doesn't make good marketing sense, and neither does setting up a website without any idea of how you are going to promote it.

Remember that just putting your site on the Web is no guarantee that people will come. It needs active, constant promotion.

A good marketing strategy includes all of the following: search engine placement, email advertising, link exchanges, and building your own mailing list. Other ideas include joint ventures and developing your own network of affiliates. .

(6) WORK HARD!

Finally, and most important of all, be prepared to work hard to make your business a success. Very few Web ventures succeed without this crucial factor. Concentrate on these six elements *before* you start out on the Web, and who knows, within a few years YOUR business could be the next big success story.

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