Online Services
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Selling Information on the Web
Information is the number one best-selling product on the Internet. If you have developed an intresting or informative ebook, service or program then you should consider selling it on the Web. There is very little overhead when marketing web based products and the rewards can be great.
The key here is to have an information product that is useful to your visitors. Maybe you have developed a tutorial on a popular subject or a how to guide on a particular hobby, these types of things are all candidates for an information product. Your imagination is the only limiting factor when producing such a revenue source.
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Selling a Service on the Web
Another source of revenue for you and your website is to sell a service to your visitors. The range of services that can be provided on the internet is practically unlimited. The following list of internet based businesses is only intended to get you thinking. I am sure that you can come up with many more. |
Abstracting ServiceAbstracters read articles from various publications, summarize them, and store the data on a computer. Some abstracters also index the articles by key words or terms that help the computer locate them quickly. Many larger corporations, in particular, rely on abstracting services to keep them updated about competitors and innovations in products and services relating to their businesses. Solicit database publishers, corporations, respond to newspaper ads for abstract work |
Bulletin Board ServicesIn the computer age, more and more folks are seeking special places to communicate with others who have similar interests. If there is no official on-line bulletin board on a subject such as baseball card collectors or movie buffs, your business can provide one. |
Buyer’s Information ServiceThis business is a facet of the "information age." Yes, there’s lots of information available, but finding what is needed, when it’s needed, is possibly even more difficult than it was in the past. Sorting through the blizzard of product data, materials sources, prices, and requirements for the relevant facts is a real challenge. Once you become known as "the answer," you’ll have a steady stream of repeat business and referrals. |
Calendar ServiceThis business is among the newest emerging businesses. You’ll create a master calendar of public events for your community, or an annual publication that is sent to your client list of hotels, motels, restaurants, and other high-traffic businesses. The excitement comes from the fax; each week you fax a reminder-and-update sheet to everyone on your list.
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Clip Art ServiceYou’ll really need to network with advertising and promotion specialists to get this business off the ground. Understand that people buy people, not just art, and that your biggest asset is personalized service. You can save companies time by searching through a myriad of resources for that perfect image—stress that point in everything you do. |
Clipping ServiceA clipping service finds and copies articles of interest to various businesses, including pieces on the company itself and/or its products, employees, the industry of the business, competitors, and related subjects of interest. Being familiar with the local library system is vital, but even more critical is the ability to search using the proper keywords |
Flea Market OrganizerDo you consider yourself an authority on decent used or collectible items? If so, you might make a terrific "head flea." As a flea market promoter/organizer, you would round up as many vendors as you can safely fit into a designated area, and advertise everywhere your clientele would be likely to look for flea markets |
Freelance Writer/Editor/IllustratorMany people have made careers out of freelance writing, editing, and illustrating—and many more are trying. Success will come for you when you can distinguish your services from those of others who will work for peanuts. Excellent communication skills are required to discover exactly what your clients want and need. |
Image ConsultantHow many times have you seen a misguided soul wearing colors that should only be on a flag—or makeup that dates back to Cleopatra? Did you have the guts to pull that person aside and offer suggestions on self-improvement? Probably not. Yet that is exactly what image consultants are paid to do. |
Internet Marketing SpecialistMarketing is always creative; Internet marketing is even more so. You’ll be creating the actual marketing approaches for a variety of different businesses to get the word out on the Internet. So if newness is your bag, then this is your game. |
On-Line Job SearchMost people don’t realize what practical applications the Internet can have for their lives, even if they have discovered e-mail and the Web Crawler. You can provide a valuable service to job seekers by guiding their path through the many on-line career services available. |
On-Line Services ConsultantAs an on-line consultant, you will assist those in need of specific pieces of information or directions to a BBS or other on-line service. You will trouble-shoot for them, providing help in areas where the user is not as knowledgeable. |
PollsterTo become a pollster you will need an ability to get people to talk to you. You can take your energy, your determination to keep going in the face of rejection, and your genuine interest in what people have to say and turn this into a business. |
Referral ServiceAs a referral service operator, you would gather every piece of information about companies, perhaps aligning yourself closely to Chambers of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau to ensure the credibility of each company you refer. |
Resume ServiceIf you’re a writer, this is a pretty easy way to make a living. However, you do need to enjoy working with people: they will hound you day and night until their project is finished, and possibly even afterward. If you don’t like to be hounded, stick to novel writing. |
Secretarial ServiceTraining and/or experience as a secretary will help you understand the types of skills that you need and an idea of who to offer them to (dictation, shorthand, filing, and form typing are just a few). There is a lot of flexibility possible with this type of business: after-regular-hours work for out-of-towners to temporary fill-ins for local companies to contracting overflow and everything in between. |
SpeechwriterWriting an effective speech is a highly skilled, creative activity. Once you prove yourself, you become invaluable to your clients. Yet this can be a very hard business to break into. Many writers offer speechwriting as just one of their services, and you must find a way to distinguish yourself from all the rest. |
World Wide Web Home Page CreatorIndustries of almost all types are exploring the Internet; many have found that a home page connects them with their customers in new ways. An effective full-color home page works much better than a dull list of products available with their specs. |
Franchise Idea CenterYour service may be limited to simple printouts of specific franchises available in the United States today, or may include detailed contact and financial information on one or more franchises. |
Gardening ConsultantAs a gardening consultant, you will work with either homeowners or business owners to work out the details of what will bloom where. Develop a portfolio of your best work. |
Graphic DesignerExperienced graphic designers who want to work independently can make an excellent living producing work for a range of clients in a home-based setting. Freelance graphic designers work for a variety of different businesses, including book publishers, newspapers, consumer product manufacturers, and even other small start-ups, designing letterhead and logos. |
Home Office ConsultantWhile it may be interesting and even exciting to be part of an innovative young company’s beginning, it may take a while to secure payment for your services. If you can charge up front, and particularly if you accept credit cards, you’ll have a much better chance of collecting what your services are worth. |
On-Line Internet ResearcherCompanies require many kinds of information, but they often do not have the time or skills necessary to find it. Not everyone has the patience and creativity to be an effective, efficient researcher. |
Software DevelopmentThis is how many world-renowned software companies got their start. And some very well-known programs are based on a home-developed product. Another approach to this field is to develop an add-on utility for a popular program. |
Word-Processing ServiceDespite the abundance of personal computers, demand for off-site word-processing services has steadily increased. Essentially, word-processing is a fancier (and more technically correct) phrase for typing service. |
Desktop PublisherDesktop publishing (DTP) enables people who understand graphic design and typography to offer a range of services to clients. Skills with computer software will allow you to produce books, flyers, and almost every kind of printed material in between. |
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