Laptop computers, which typically weigh 4–7 pounds, can fit into a briefcase and be used for everything that a desktop can. They typically have a little less power than a desktop, and cost about twice as much.
Handheld organizers. The latest Palms, Handsprings, and Blackberrys allow you to connect to e-mail, the Global Positioning System, the Web, and more! They can synchronize with your office computer’s database, so you can work on the road without lugging around a laptop.
Digital cameras allow you to take pictures of displays, the competitions’ products, and the like. You can then show them to key people in your organization.
Cell phones are a wonderful tool for salespeople to confirm appointments, let people know if you are running late, check for messages, and return calls quickly. But these portable telephones can do much more. Today, they can surf the Net and send and receive e-mails. Some cell services allow you to use your phone across North America, while others have a global reach.
There will be a proliferation of cell phones and other wireless devices to access the Internet in the next few years as the demand to stay connected increases exponentially. But wireless Internet technology is in its infancy, so depending on your needs and location you could find the device you buy about as useful as a periscope in a mine shaft. Deciding which device to buy is tricky, to say the least. But, consider these factors when making your decision:
Speed. How long will it take to download your favorite Web sites and your e-mail? Some devices are currently so slow that one might suffer rigor mortis while waiting. This problem will be addressed as newer high-speed technologies replace the current operating systems. Generally, devices made specifically for wireless Internet access operate better than those that are multifunctional.
Coverage. Many services operate well in major metropolitan areas, but fail to offer access in smaller cities.
Make use of the many free services that the Internet offers. There are a growing number of applications and services that salespeople can access on the Internet. They include the following:
Fax retrieval. Services such as www.j2.com offer you the ability to retrieve your compressed fax and voice mails in your own e-mail box.
Web site hosting. www.freeservers.com will allow you to choose a site name, build a site, and host up to 20 MB for free. Freeservers will also process the e-mails sent to your domain (if you have one), either by forwarding them to the account you specify or storing them.
Web site registration. www.namedemo.com and www.namezero.com both provide free registration of domain names.
Acting as your storefront. www.freemerchant.com will give you a free storefront that carries your domain name as a sub-domain in the Web address (
Having your own intranet. This facility will allow you to enhance communications by allowing people you choose to share files and schedule meetings. www.intranet.com will allow you to create an intranet for free, permitting anyone with a password — such as your staff, associates, and customers — to access the information.
Telephone calls. You can make free calls across the United States using www.net2phone.com.
Free sites on the Internet do have a downside. Here are some disadvantages:
Enormous downloads. Many of these free sites will take up large amounts of hard drive space. They also take ages to download, especially if you’re doing so over a phone line.
Lack of longevity. The dot-com business is unpredictable and in its infancy. Portals that you may rely on can disappear overnight.
Annoying and obtrusive advertisements. Most free sites generate income from advertising. So, expect some temporary annoyance when your e-mail gets covered up with an advertisement.
Unwanted e-mails. Not all sites are ethical. They may give your e-mail number to Internet marketers who, in spite of your best efforts, will probably not remove your number from their lists. So, expect a daily slew of annoying mail.
Electronic Communications
The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.
JOSEPH PRIESTLEY (1733–1804), ENGLISH THEOLOGIAN AND SCIENTIST
Communicating by e-mail can be the best and fastest method of communicating with your clients. It will also be the cheapest, enabling you to reduce time and costs associated with the phone. Modern wireless technology will also enable to you to send and receive e-mails from anywhere that you are able to use a cell phone.
Anyone relying on a phone to make appointments or do follow-up for decisions will be increasingly frustrated by the difficulties associated with getting the right person on the phone. Today, most people have and use call answering or screening to avoid conversations that are not a priority. Many people simply do not return phone calls, period. If they do, the chances of you being on the other end of the phone, waiting for the call, are slim indeed.
But most people respond fairly quickly to e-mails. So, improve your e-mail communications by using these strategies:
Avoid “spamming” clients. People really resent their e-mail system being clogged up with unwanted and unnecessary messages. If you need to send out general information to clients, then send it to people who know you, ask for their permission, in advance, and give them a process to be excluded from any future mailings, should they so choose.
Send bulk mail sparingly. Ensure that the content is something your audience would appreciate.
Create a short message with a title that clearly describes why the receiver needs to read on.
If you feel that the best way to contact potential clients is through unsolicited e-mails, look for a list that covers your potential client base best. Before buying into the process, consider doing a test with a sample of the addresses so that you can gauge the potential value of a mass e-mailing.
Using the Internet for Research
Basic research is what I am doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.
WERNHER VON BRAUN (1912–77), GERMAN-AMERICAN ENGINEER
The Internet is a wonderful tool that will allow you to research such things as the details of potential clients, people/organizations to network with, and new complementary products and services, to name a few. Here’s how to do it effectively.
If you want to check out a company’s URL that has been sent to you in an e-mail, you can locate it simply by clicking on it.
If you want to look up something without having a URL, you can easily do so by using your favorite search engine. Enter key words and hit your enter key.
If you get too many hits, or if most have little to do with your chosen topic, consider narrowing your search by linking words with a plus sign. This will force the search engine to be more discriminating and offer you a more limited choice.
Access large amounts of data quickly using the Internet. You can download information, take what you want, and copy and paste only those parts that are of interest to you.
Being a good Web surfer requires discipline. The Web is full of distractions that can cause you to veer off in a multitude of directions, wasting precious time. Avoid time wastage, particularly during company time, by not clicking on “booby traps” that are aiming to lure you to more enticing pursuits.
Avoid the lure of chat rooms. There are thousands of chat rooms on subjects of all description. To benefit from them, consider joining one or more that relate to your industry or profession. You can learn a lot from people around the world, and share your wisdom at the same time, too.
Creating a Web Page
… very soon everyone on earth will have 15 Megabytes of fame.
M.G. SIRIAM
A Web page is your electronic brochure, available to the world. It will help you create an image that can be as favorable and impressive as the largest organization’s, even though they may have fancy offices in a downtown high-rise and you’re operating in the basement of your home. So, how you set up your Web site and how you use it will have a measurable impact on its effectiveness.
Getting started on the Internet is probably best done by using an expert. It will make the process much quicker and less frustrating. Deciding on whether to go it alone or use an expert should be based on a cost-benefit analysis pitting the cost of your time against the cost of an expert.
Today, experts don’t need to cost the earth. You’ll find an endless number of Web page designers in your local newspaper, Yellow Pages, local community college, or among your neighborhood school kids. The latter will be most cost-effective, but often prove to be unreliable.
To get started you will need a computer. You will need a PC, hand-held, or laptop. The PC is the cheapest, but offers least flexibility from a portability perspective. As a minimum, you’ll probably want a computer with