Thinking about starting up a business? The web is the way to go. Look around! More and more, people are relying on the internet as an information resource, a way to foster personal relationships, and method of purchasing goods and services.

What would you think if you received a business inquiry from an unfamiliar company, and you looked them up on the internet to find they had no website? They¡¯d seem a little behind the times, wouldn¡¯t they? They might even come across as slightly unprofessional. It would take away from their credibility, to see that they had no presence on the world wide web.

Likewise: if you own your own business or are thinking of starting one, the first place you should put your name is the internet. Why? It¡¯s the cheapest method of advertising that gets you the most exposure... and it¡¯s a way to present your offer to the world without ever leaving the house.

The web is reputation that builds on itself. It¡¯s a potential buyer sitting at home, typing your specialty into a Google search, and seeing your company pop up. It¡¯s your own website URL getting forwarded on via email. It¡¯s someone in a chat forum passing your good name along because you gave them a bit of thoughtful advice.

The web is your own portable office space, and it¡¯s practically rent-free.

Now you¡¯re probably thinking "Hey that sounds great... but I don¡¯t know how to create a website! And who has the time?"

I have the time. I make the time, because I love what I do. I write web copy. I talk with people who want to increase their exposure and grow their businesses. I take the time to learn about them and what they do. And then I wrap it all up in a neat, organized information package, and turn it into a professional portfolio that showcases the best of everything they have to offer the world. Web advertising really works. I should know. It¡¯s what I use to run my own business.

Part of the trick of web advertising is positioning. You want to speak to your audience in a way that 1) identifies their needs, and then 2) positions your company as having the solution. It¡¯s not a lie; it¡¯s just a strategic way of presenting yourself. If you do it right, it can one-up you over the next guy. How so? Putting out a quality product is only half the secret to being a successful seller. The other half is communication: in the right manner, and to the right people. I can develop an athletic shoe that will enable you to run 15 miles, but if I can't convince people that they might want to run 15 miles, I may as well not have created it. I can revolutionize a way to speed-cook chicken, but if I'm telling my story to vegetarians, it ain't worth a cluck!

Now that we¡¯ve covered the basics of effective advertising: the time has come to build a reputation for yourself on the web! Remember that movie, Field of Dreams? If you build it, they will come. A website, that is. The current state of our economy is increasingly driving today¡¯s professional to seek options beyond the corporate job as a way to sustain income - and especially, to make use of their talents and expertise! Web-based businesses are hot. Free enterprise is exploding... and everywhere you roam, inspired entrepreneurs are eager to share their newfound knowledge. There¡¯s a lot of cameraderie happening, and networking with potential buyers has never been easier or more productive.

What will tomorrow bring? Your guess is as good as mine. But what I can tell you is this: if you've got a head for business, today is your day to shine! Make the web your window of opportunity while the going is good. If you don¡¯t... you may miss out on the chance of a lifetime!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. Use with permission.

Dina Giolitto is a New-Jersey based Copywriting Consultant with nine years' industry experience. Her current focus is web content and web marketing for a multitude of products and services although the bulk of her experience lies in retail for big-name companies like Toys"R"Us. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.com for rates and samples.