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Microcap & Penny Stocks : Zulu-tek, Inc. (ZULU) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PartyTime who wrote (6800)	5/9/1998 12:07:00 AM
From: PartyTime	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 18444

It's better than snake oil: From Webpedia: The Emergence of the Web Salesperson I have often wondered whether it is possible to be an effective Web Salesperson. That is, without having to learn so much of the technical materials such as HTML/DHTML, Perl32, Visual Basic, C++, UNIX, Windows NT. I am referring to a certain professional, the Salesperson, who has a keen desire to understand the customer's needs and fills their need, such as helping them build a decent web presence. These personal skills of understanding the customer are transferable from any field of sales, but a new Salesperson to this industry may not have a firm grasp of the emerging Web-based technology. Quite often the prospective customer tends to be somewhat confused when the Webmaster or Programmer speaks in the lingo of the Internet and the Web-related designing. It becomes more confusing when the Webmaster talks about the pricing of various elements of the Web design, such as X dollars per page, Y dollars for ActiveX component, Z cents for JavaScript. The hapless customer may never understand the reasons of costing and content, when all they want is to set up a simple store-front web page. That's where the experienced marketing and salespeople come into play, as it is they who have the ability to conceptualize the customer's ideas into reality. The idea is to sell or market the customer's concept of the product or services. By understanding some of the basics of Web design, and acting as an interface between the customer and the Webmaster, the customer will generally benefit as their needs and interests are clearly understood and represented. The added benefits of the Salesperson understanding the Web-based technology are tremendous, including: 1.Improved customer satisfaction and relationship; 2.Ability to develop initial prototypes of web pages; 3.On-going servicing and updating; 4.Increasing desire to keep in touch with the changing customer-focused Web-based trends. So how does the Salesperson go about the process of becoming a Web Salesperson? There are several avenues, in addition to cost and time. In fact, it can be done with a decent budget. The most important factor in becoming a successful Web Salesperson is this: The desire to be interested and the willingness to develop product knowledge It is always best advice to use products that have been well regarded in the marketplace in terms of ease of use and popularity. The suggested products mentioned below are not intended to be definitive, there may be other products that serve the same purpose. These products should ideally be installed in a Notebook computer which the Salesperson can carry with them on the road, or when they travel abroad. This is also a great way to sell the idea of web hosting and "near-instant" prototyping. Web Browsing software Learn both browsers as thoroughly as possible - Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator. These are the two most prominent browsers and it always pay to know how to use both. The customer would be pleased that you would be able to handle their favorite browser. Web Authoring software One should at least know how to use one web authoring software such as Microsoft FrontPage 98. It is currently the most popular one in the market (see our review). Having it installed in the Notebook and being able to show at least a prototype version of what the prospect's web site might look can potentially clinch a sale. Other software includes Claris HomePage 3.0, and Adobe Pagemill 2.0. I have used FrontPage 98, and I'm glad I learned. It gives new direction and opens up exciting sales avenues. Visit quality sites regularly It always pays to visit the various quality Web sites, especially the award-winning ones. The object is to learn what's available out in the market and how it's being done. Staying abreast of these sites can keep you alert to inform your customers of new developments. Inevitably the customer may want to have these features or ideas implement. There are some Web sites such as 100hot, which maintains a roster of Web sites that have won awards. Read a simple book on HTML Yes, I did say without programming as the title of the article above suggested. You can just get by without knowing anything about HTML. However, consider this fact - it is nearly unavoidable, and the good news is - you don't have to learn the detailed aspects of HTML. An understanding of simple concepts of HTML is just as good. That way, you can earn the customer's respect as a knowledgeable Salesperson that knows what they are talking about. By the way, HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. You can learn more about HTML here. Becoming Certified Larger corporations are now demanding that certain professionals should have some credentials or professional qualifications relating to Web designing and hosting. This is especially true as the Internet technology is still a young industry and standards are being formulated and revised constantly. The Internet is growing very rapidly. This can cause customers to be taken advantage of, unintentionally or otherwise, by the less-informed person. Having the certified credential is definitely a way to gain the customer's confidence and trust. A good certification is the Certified Internet Business Strategist, whose one page test is given by Novell, Inc. For more details, visit Netboss.com. This certification is an ideal one for the Web Salesperson. Earn it. Learn the new ideas. It's worth the effort. Keep reading good books on Salespersonship In the last two years, I have never seen so many excellent books on salespersonship, selling, marketing, negotiation and influencing to name a few. I am amazed at the amount of wisdom and ideas that these books can convey. When you read, try to apply them in practice, it becomes a good habit. Some essential books: First Things First - Steven Covey The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey Walk like a Giant, Sell like a Madman - Ralph Roberts Managing to Have Fun - Matt Weinstein Summary A knowledgeable, and perhaps certified Web Salesperson can go a long way to build a good relationship with customers who need a Web site with a mission and purpose. It's true that the initial efforts of learning the basics may be challenging in terms of time and inclination. The payoff is far greater when the customer can look to you for good advice and ideas. The customer's needs will also change because they will always want to work more smart than hard, be more productive than inefficient. With this newly acquired knowledge, you can become an effective communicator between the Webmaster and the customer. Last important advice - believe that you can do it and learn from your mistakes. You'll be glad you did. Written by Miku B. Sippy

To: PartyTime who wrote (6800)	5/9/1998 12:14:00 AM
From: PartyTime	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 18444

What's coming down the pike? Note that Doubleclick gets honorable mention. But it is the company that did Webpedia's site. From Webpedia: Advertising Bargains on the Net Why Advertise? As far as targeting goes, the Web is the best way of broadcasting your message to the right people. For example, if your company is looking to sell space in dog kennels, you could take the old option and place an ad in a newspaper. You may get a little response, but not nearly as much as a cleverly targeted ad on Web sites featuring the man's best friend might bring. You can aim your ad based on the type of user you want. High profile Web advertising companies can give you the option to let only people with a certain browser, operating system, or domain see your ad. For example, Microsoft could target ads for Encarta only to people running Internet Explorer with an .edu domain. The Web is the only medium which can give you access to precise 'real-time' statistics, showing the effectiveness of your campaign by monitoring clicks. Let's say that halfway through the promotion you realize it's not all going to plan; you can reassess your objectives without sacrificing time or paid for ad space. The average Internet user is about 35 years old with an income of over $50,000. This highly desirable and educated audience is enough to leave any top marketing manager weak at the knees. Next: Advertising Methods Advertising Bargains on the Net Advertising Methods Link Exchanges - These are free services. Everyone is a winner in this form of advertising; they all work in different ways, usually rewarding you for impressions of random banners on your site. A well-designed banner will be of great benefit as the traffic can be hard to come by. This kind of advertising is generally reserved for the web hobbyist or non-profit sites. Banners - This is the number one method of promotion on the Web. A banner is a wide graphic that advertises a product or service that links to your site. The success of this kind of advertising relies heavily on the design of the banner. This is where advertising know-how comes into the equation. The price is usually listed in terms of CPM or cost per mille (French for thousand). Try to avoid advertising on a page with more than one banner on it; you are then competing with the other banners for hits. DoubleClick Network is the biggest provider of top quality banner advertising on the Web: precision targeting and attractive CPM rates make it the most reputable company of its type. Having already handled over one billion banner impressions, and possessing the know-how of any top advertising house, DoubleClick is a great place to look for any advertising campaign. Direct Email - "Spam." Direct email may seem like a very cheap way of reaching a large amount of people, but the vast majority of netizens don't even read the trash; it is very annoying to the reader. No respectable company uses this method of advertising.