The two edged sword.

klickitat · #1 02/19/10, 09:25 AM

I thought I would post a little food for thought for those who are looking at using the internet as a marketing tool.

The internet is the greatest marketing tool ever invented. You can reach potential customers that you could never have imagined reaching 20 years ago and on a shoe string budget. The internet has made it so easy for the average person, that anyone can start a business from home and quickly become a success.

Let me tell you though that the internet also has a very unforgiving side. Remember that everything has an opposite and if you can grow fast, then you can loose fast. If you can promote then others can tear down. If you have a great idea, people will steal it, copy it and thrash you online. If you make a mistake, people will use the internet to blackmail you. If you are not perfect, people will tell everyone on the net. If you use the mail and it is slow, it now becomes your fault and you will need to defend yourself. If you are late in a delivery, if you fall behind because you are sick, if your product is not 100% perfect or if you do not meet someones built up expectations, you will be thrashed on the internet.

This is not to say that everyone is like this. No, quite the opposite, it is only about 1% of the customers out there that expect absolute perfection and will hold you to it. However the internet gives this 1% great power to put the hurt to you and your company. Large companies are not bothered by this because they have huge bankrolls for combating things like this. The little guy with a small budget doesn't though.

So what to do. Well my advice is to take this notion and think long and hard about yourself.
Can I run this business without excuses?
Can I get this done on time every time?
Can I guarantee my product 100% of the time?
Can I always deliver what I promised?
Can I afford to pay monies back to those that will extort?
Do I have thick skin?

If you said no to any of these questions, then you might consider not using the internet to promote your business. The internet is an unforgiving bitch and will remind you and tell everyone else of your mistakes. For a large company, this is no big deal as they can afford some. For your small company though this can be devastating.

BTW: if you can answer those questions up there with a resounding yes; well I hope to get to meet you some day. I like meeting successful people.

katlupe · #2 02/19/10, 01:24 PM

Sounds like you have had a hard time on the internet.

Quote:

So what to do. Well my advice is to take this notion and think long and hard about yourself.
Can I run this business without excuses?
Can I get this done on time every time?
Can I guarantee my product 100% of the time?
Can I always deliver what I promised?
Can I afford to pay monies back to those that will extort?
Do I have thick skin?

If you said no to any of these questions, then you might consider not using the internet to promote your business. The internet is an unforgiving bitch and will remind you and tell everyone else of your mistakes. For a large company, this is no big deal as they can afford some. For your small company though this can be devastating.

Yes, I can honestly say yes to all those questions.

katlupe

klickitat · #3 02/19/10, 01:38 PM

Both. I have made my mistakes in the past and learned from them.

I also learned that there are at least and I am sure more ways of using the net to advertise. The most rewarding and the most dangerous is the forums. This is where stuff can get personal and people have a huge voice.

To be honest, it always comes back to the person running the business and his or her own integrity. I found out the hard way, that the person in the middle is the person who is responsible no matter what. Case in point, If the customer does not pay you, you still have to pay your bills and the next customer does not care about your woes, just the results. You had better have cash to back your butt up when this happens.

Shoe strings are fine as long as you have an extra pair for when the first pair breaks.

katlupe · #4 02/19/10, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Both. I have made my mistakes in the past and learned from them.

I also learned that there are at least and I am sure more ways of using the net to advertise. The most rewarding and the most dangerous is the forums. This is where stuff can get personal and people have a huge voice.

To be honest, it always comes back to the person running the business and his or her own integrity. I found out the hard way, that the person in the middle is the person who is responsible no matter what. Case in point, If the customer does not pay you, you still have to pay your bills and the next customer does not care about your woes, just the results. You had better have cash to back your butt up when this happens.

Shoe strings are fine as long as you have an extra pair for when the first pair breaks.

I have found forums, like this one as being good places to network. Though the product I have sold the most here is my eBook which is about homesteading. So that makes sense.

I don't have trouble with people not paying me as they pay when they order. If any of our strings are defective the manufacturer will refund 100% or replace the strings. Not us. The manufacturers. I think that is because we have chose to sell products made by a smaller company.

One of my sites has been up since 2002 and I can honestly say that I really enjoy it. I like networking with people I have met online. Maybe it is because I live a bit isolated and don't interact with people in person too often so this is my socialization time. I have people contact me all the time asking me questions and have never had anyone give me a hard time really.

BTW....my strings are not shoe strings.......lol! Guitar strings, mandolin strings, banjo strings, acoustic strings, electric guitar strings, bass strings, bluegrass strings. I have replaced one package of broken strings once in the whole time I have been selling. And the manufacturer replaced it for free including the shipping. So I am blessed!

katlupe