Using the Web as a Business Asset
Though many of us would like to think e-commerce is the main reason the Web exists, most actually turn to it for free information.
Finding really useful sites, however, can take more time and effort than just calling the library. To aid in your searches, here’s a grab bag of sites I’ve found helpful.
– AskJeeves.com. The “plain-speak” search engine. Type a question and Jeeves comes up with a variety of potential online sources for the answer. Easy, fun and actually quite useful.
– AvenueM.com. Billed as a “collection of Web resources for professionals.” AvenueM is a godsend to those of us who still love Macs, as a quick click on the Macintosh list takes you to pages of links ranging from troubleshooting and support resources to all kinds of software. For mainstreamers, the site also provides links for Windows and Unix.
– BizBuySell.com. With more than 8,000 listings, this may be the site that helps you find the business you always wanted to buy. No direct marketing entities were listed last time I was on, but that doesn’t mean you can’t post a request for one on the “Business Wanted” bulletin board.
– CEOExpress.com. Listing upon listing of smart links sorted by daily news and information; business research; all things Internet; and tools, travel and fun. With everything from annual reports and search engines to a time zone converter and the Mayo Clinic, this site can save hours of search time.
– CompanySlueth.com. Register the 10 publicly held companies you want Company Sleuth to keep an eye on and it does the research for you, providing periodic reports. It regularly gets effervescent reviews (with “cool” being the most frequently used word to describe it) and has collected a ton of awards.
– FastCompany.com. Anything but your normal business site, this is primarily a discussion area for businesspeople who believe in “change and new ideas.” There’s a daily poll on topics such as better bosses, the paperless work environment, mergers, “the miserable rich” and even dating.
– FT.com. Most of us have The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times already bookmarked; one you should add for greater emphasis on what’s happening around the world is The Financial Times. Access is free, but you must register, a facet made easier by the auto-login feature.
– Fortune.com. To me, Fortune magazine is like the National Enquirer of business publications – attention-getting, dramatic and full of juicy news. The Web site doesn’t disappoint; the writing is exciting, the graphics crisp and the interaction easy. Search simply and speedily for the stories you want to bone up on (it’s free; you’ll just run up against a pop-up ad asking you to subscribe).
– InfoUSA.com. The Web site for “small business owners, entrepreneurs and sales and marketing executives.” There’s all kinds of data on starting and managing a business, as well as leads for information and services. At this writing, a section that will offer advice on selling products online was under construction.
– NorthernLight.com. Most of us don’t realize search engines cover only a minute part of the Web (according to The New York Times, Lycos, for instance, covers only 2.5%). As of July 8, the Times said Northern Light has the broadest coverage, “with an index containing 16% of the Web pages that can be indexed.”
– OpsandFulfillment.com. The magazine that operations people love pulls out key features for its site and has back-issue access, but lacks search capability. However, the content here is excellent, and features one very clever touch: a “send this page to a colleague” feature that acts as an e-commerce “tell-a-friend.”
– SEC.gov. At the home of the Securities and Exchange Commission, you can look up annual reports and registration statements, and find details on public DM firms.
– The-DMA.org. Forget when that next conference is taking place? Find it in a jiffy. Want to access the latest research about the industry? Log on. Missed something at the last conference that everyone raved about? It’s here. For example, I was thrilled to see the transcript of Dave Barry’s much-talked-about speech from the catalog conference. (Hey, not everything has to be heavy-duty business info.)
– ThomasRegister.com. Tired of wandering around at shows trying to find new products? Scanning this site’s 155,000 company listings, 60,000 product and service classifications and 124,000 catalog headings lets your fingers do the walking, so to speak. The free membership lets you tap into 5,500 online supplier catalogs and more than 1,000 corporate Web sites. In addition, you can receive detailed literature by fax from over 1,000 companies.
– USPS.gov. Just a wee bit confused about the latest postal regulations? It’s great if your local postal person can help you out, but we know that’s seldom the case. Turn to the “frequently asked questions” area of the site for answers. Another section helps locate a local “business center professional” to help design mailing pieces. You also can get delivery confirmation for Priority Mail and parcel post, or buy stamps.
– ZDNet.com. Get e-savvy instantly at the site that turns you into an expert…at least about what’s happening to whom in the wired industry. This is a grand place to find links to useful sites, timely features (such as salary comparison guides) and e-commerce courses.
