• By Cathy Goodwin
• Published 04/16/2009
• Writing for the Web

Online business owners, especially independent professionals, often design their website marketing campaigns to promote a specific service. Often they target local clients because their practice has always been conducted face to face. The web is an international medium. If you are a service business, you are missing out on opportunities when someone surfs in from across the globe. And if you are doing a good job, you will get visits from all over the globe. How can you take advantage of this traffic? Or (as I like to say), will you be ready when someone surfs in from Singapore? Often you can find a way to offer your services virtually. These days all sorts of consultants, counselors, coaches, dog trainers, therapists and advisors are going virtual. Even certain types of healers work by phone. Accountants and lawyers who practice federal law (in the US) may find they’re not bound by geography. Your website can invite clients from all over the country or the world. Of course, some professional services just can’t be delivered by phone. You may be performing physical work (such as dentistry or plumbing). Your professional ethics code may require at least one in-person office visit.

Just about anyone can put together even

a small, simple downloadable information product. While I was writing this article in Seattle, someone from Norway bought one of my ebooks. My own experience tells me you can sell information products to visitors from all over the world, as long as they can download easily. Getting ready for the Singapore surfer will help you serve your local clients more effectively. Let’s face it: Even if your visitors live around the corner, they are not all ready to buy the first time they visit. Your goal is to build a relationship with them. Get their opt-in info so you can send them an ezine or an e-course. Your website copywriting challenge begins with creating an ebook, ecourse or video that can become a free bonus for visitors who join your opt-in list. Create a product that can be downloaded from anywhere in the world. You need a strong appeal, such as “5 Ways to Overcome Chronic Fatigue Without Drugs” or, “Secrets of Writing Articles That Triple Your Website Traffic.”

If you don’t have a product of your own, you can create referrals to existing products and earn affiliate commission. Before choosing this option, check with your professional organization to be sure your ethical codes allows you to do this. Be very careful about what you recommend to your website visitors. If at all possible, buy everything you promote and try it out first hand.