While I generally hate to see online businesses fail, it upsets me more to see some succeed.
In buoyant times it can be very easy to start up and catch a wave and the most obvious place to witness the vacuous business is of course the internet, home of the low cost smoke-and-mirrors shopfront.
Here’s my list of aspects of online business websites I won’t miss:
1. Those who work SEO to the max, yet have nothing of any value or interest to share and make their money as we click our way out of their dumb site.
2. Individuals filling their sales text with self-congratulatory puff. Leaders don’t announce themselves as such; ‘sought after’ is something to demonstrate, not boast about; going to New Zealand, doesn’t make you International and breathlessly exclaiming ‘most popular’ is plain sad.
3. Online business websites with wildly effusive text in inverted commas, it looks like a testimonial, but we know who wrote it.
4. Pdf downloads ‘valued at $297’ yet remarkably given to us for a mere $39! Er, who did the valuation exactly? Let’s see how much you get for it on ebay.
5. Businesses with painfully long sales letters and selective use of the good old yellow highlighter. Sure it works. It also sucks.
6. Online business websites full of stock photos of smiling people. If you’ve never met them and they don’t work for you, what are they doing on your site?
7. Online business websites with ‘about’ pages devoid of names or images of anyone real. What’s the matter, is no one is prepared to own up to starting this business?
Okay, I’m sure to have offended some readers so let me have it. Meanwhile I’m off to check my own sites closely!
“ While I generally hate to see online businesses fail, it upsets me more to see some succeed. ”
Robert Gerrish is one of the Flying Solo crew and supports soloists as a coach and consultant. He presents at conferences and networking events and bangs on to the media or anyone who listens, about all things micro. Along with Sam Leader and Peter Crocker, he's the co-author of Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business.
