Re: Is the internet a "good" place to do business?

From: Phil Tanny <phil_at_philtanny.com>
Date: Tue 04 Dec 2001 13:19:15 -0500

Andy, thanks for the links to your articles and
your ongoing contributions to this list. Your
threads never seem to fail to hook my attention.

"What do Publishers Really Sell?"
http://clickz.com/design/profit_pub/article.php/832901

In the above article you wrote:

>There is no single factor more important to a
>site publisher than audience. Your understanding,
>knowledge, and awareness of your audience, and
>your relationship to it, defines your business.
>Period.

I like your attempt to help publishers focus their
great labors on what really matters. In that
spirit I would like to offer another version of
your words above. Here goes:

There is no single factor more important to a
business than those who send you checks. Your
understanding, knowledge, and awareness of these
people, and your relationship to them, defines
your business. Period.

For a lucky few of us, these people are our
audience, the readers themselves. As others have
commented here, you know you're doing something
right when the media overloaded citizens of the
Net decide the content you have to offer is worth
paying for. Bravo!

For a much greater number of us publishing on the
Net, the people who give us checks are
advertisers.

Too often online publishers are like gifted
audience artists who are so consumed with their
love of that art that they forget to return calls
from the art galleries interested in purchasing
their work.

I'm a passionate and distracted person by nature
and am greatly attracted to this quality in
others.

But as Andy points out, in business it matters
what you aim your passion at. If we're in
business to make money then it's often wise to
figure out where the money is coming from and aim
our passion in that direction.

If your readers are paying your bills, hold them to
your heart and cherish them forever! If they're
not, find out who is, and get to know them better.

Sincerely,
Phil

Phil Tanny, phil_at_philtanny.com
http://subscription-service.com




Received on Tue Dec 04 2001 - 12:19:15 CST