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Guide 4. Is the Internet for my business?

What works on the Internet? (screen 5 of 10)

Clearly some things don't. Anything that requires personal contact, that needs to be read in bed or on a bus, or where your market is unlikely to have access to the Internet, may not be helped by a website.

However, personal contacts can be developed further and more widely by judicious use of email, discussion lists and newsgroups. Artworks can be sold using the Internet. Even if your involvement with the Internet at this stage only involves your organisation having an email address for rapid communication or for discussion lists, then it's worthwhile.

Most cultural organisations have activities and events, as well as products and services, which could benefit from a presence on the Internet.

It would be surprising if your organisation could not benefit from a well planned website.

Costs and benefits

As with any other part of your business plan, your Internet presence should be assessed for its costs and benefits.

 

Does your audience include the Internet user demographic?

When you make a business decision about a connection to the Internet, you should keep Internet demographics in mind. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) often publishes reports on the demographics of Internet usage in Australia, so you should visit the ABS site(1) and look for the latest report. Unfortunately, the way the ABS site is built makes it impossible to give reliable URLs to specific pages on its site, so you will have to go there and look for the reports yourself.

Is your market within any of the relevant groups? If so, then remember that the use of the Internet is expanding at a great rate. And people are using the Internet in many ways that may have an impact on your organisation.

In addition, the Internet has the potential to link you or your organisation to new markets such as regional and interstate Australia, or even the international market. Even if people in Finland can't visit your organisation, they may find something that interests them in your online gift shop.

And don't forget the enormous variety of transactions(2) you can undertake using different Internet technologies.

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References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics http://www.abs.gov.au/
2. Guide 2 screen 6 http://culture.gov.au/resources/guides/g2/s6.htm

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