When you sell stuff online it's pretty obvious that things like great photos, detailed product descriptions and testimonials from happy customers make a difference.

One of the key aspects of online sales is reassuring the prospective customer regarding how secure they are buying from you - essentially you're reducing the perceived sense of risk.

In the SitePoint Tribune that I write, I've just detailed how eBay is about to use Skype (a Voice Over IP company they own) to enable buyers to speak directly with sellers at a click of a button.

Whilst I don't think Australian's are ready for that just yet (a certain % would be), what does work well for reassuring your customers is the use of audio testimonials.

We have just developed a very simple Flash audio player - hit the button and the audio plays.

Check it out here.

Could you use that simple technology for your web site? Used right, it's almost guaranteed to increase your sales.

One of my favourite writers (and he has a great blog) is Seth Godin.

Seth made a great point about selling the other day. He said:

When a salesperson gets asked, "Hey, are you trying to sell me something," the best answer may be, "I sure am, and if you're not here to buy something, we should both be somewhere else..."

Simple Point

It's such a simple point - don't waste your time (or their's) with a salesperson if you're not interested in what they're selling.

And if you're a salesperson, don't waste your time (or your prospects') by delivering a great sales pitch to a person who could less.

It's as simple as asking "I sell widgets. Do you buy widgets?"

Qualify that prospect so you're pitching to people who will actually buy. You know it makes sense.

You know what? Your favourite rock band probably wants you to buy their CD from the local store - not iTunes.

Know why? Because, according to this fascinating article by Grant Robertson over at Weblogsinc, the band gets 31 cents for each CD sold, rather than just 4 cents when a song is sold via iTunes!

Wow!

As an author I know the pain of the publisher getting the bulk of the sales - but that pain is tempered a lot by knowing if it wasn't for them the book wouldn't have been written, edited, printed, packaged and marketed in the first place!

And 15% of sales (in royalties) is worth a lot more than 100% of absolutely nothing. (Trust me, I'm good at math.)

But the web is changing things for savvy marketers.

If the author or band can get enough of a following via web marketing strategies, they have a ready made market they can sell directly to - cutting out the publishers and record label middlemen.

Check Out Nina

Check out Nina Gordon's old site here - heaps of free music and lots of great information.

Check out Straight Outta Compton - it's Nina's take on a rap song (offensive lyrics aplenty). Absolutely brilliant.

The trouble for self-publishers is that mainstream publishing - whether it be music or books - is credible. Leads to other things - like media exposure. With self publishing you look like a bit of a (as my 15 yo daughter would say) Try Hard.

The money or the fame?

Bill Gates is leaving Microsoft to focus on the work his foundation does. Good for him and a job well done.

I've just bought a Logitech USB Headset 250. Very impressive - if you're looking for a nice headset with which to use with your computer, then this is a fine solution for around $70 AUD (sells in the US for $40)

I'm an athlete - I've been training for the Gold Coast Half Marathon. Read about what I'm doing here and here. My legs are just getting sexier and sexier!

Amazon has started selling groceries. Non-perishable items can now be ordered from the book selling giant.

Email: brendon@tailored.com.au