subject: How To Target Market - Building Skills In Information Marketing Will Boost Your Business [print this page] Yesterday, I was sitting on a train going to London when I thought I would take a look around the carriage just to check out what everyone was doing. I wanted to make a mental note simply because my 5 year old son constantly asks me, "What happened at your work today, Daddy?" So I placed my newspaper down and took a look around me.
The chap beside me was reading a book about selling, the lady on the other side of the aisle was using her computer and the two men opposite me were discussing a presentation they had seen. Then it hit me - everyone around me was an "information consumer". All sorts of things they were doing concerned the consumption of information that somebody else had given.
Now that shouldn't have shocked me far too much. After all, that's what I do - I sell information to people. But it was the train trip that reminded me how much information people are buying. They are getting it from books, on the internet, in meetings, via reports - all kinds of approaches. We live in an information society these days.
That means there's an opportunity for you. Whatever business you're in, you contend with info - and individuals will pay you for what you know and what you've experienced.
Just 6 months ago, my primary business was speaking at seminars, conferences and running workshops. Now I have changed the way I earn my money by selling the information I used to offer at talks and meetings directly to individuals who would otherwise be in my audience. And I am doing that on the internet. Individuals can download my talks, or they can buy "ebooks" I've written about the subjects I specialize in (business psychology, should you must know). And it is working.
Within the previous year, the Internet has went from being simply a source of referrals to my business, to being the prime source of my business. Last year almost 2% of my income came from the Internet; currently it's 95%. And the change has been because I deliver information on the internet.
Numerous businesses, however, do not take advantage of the large consumers' desire for info. Rather, they only provide brochures and catalogues on the internet. But what Internet users would like is the info and the knowledge that exists within businesses.
So, to enhance your business and to make sure that your company succeeds on the internet, make sure you supply info and knowledge-based products, such as ebooks and audio files. In that way, you'll be tapping into the consumer demand for information. You will be able to make money out of selling the information you usually keep only for your customers. With the Internet you are able to now sell that information to anyone.
