People often ask me if their business could operate online. Many business people fear that their service or product would not translate well to the online world. But I tell them that I can't think of anything that is impossible to sell online.

After all, if just a few years back I'd have suggested that you could sell take-away food via the Internet, you'd have said I was off my rocker. But ordering pizza online is commonplace now; indeed, Domino's Pizza has seen a huge rise in Internet orders over the last year, helping it to a dramatic rise in profits.

I know of a company that hires industrial cranes which gets a significant slice of its business from its online ordering system. Then there's the funeral parlours that do a very nice business, thank you, from people organising burials online. Plus, you can buy a whole host of "personal services" using your mouse and keyboard.....stress relief, I mean, of course....!

But, whatever business you are in, you can use the Internet to sell more. After I've given a talk on Internet marketing, I usually get someone come up to me afterwards who says, "Ah, yes, all very well, but it would never work in my line of business." Then we chat for a moment or two and come up with a possible way of their "line of business" succeeding online.

Yesterday, I wrote about the need for a positive attitude to online business. Today, I reckon it's important not to hold back and assume that your business could not operate online, or there are some kind of restrictions. If you can use the Internet to get warm and soggy pizza, you can do anything with it.

Labels: internet, internet marketing, shopping

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