Michael
Duffy rates 2,767 winery web sites on effectiveness. He then sells a
customized report to any winery that cares to pay for it. Home Page – The Winery Web Site Report.This is the new sort of non-fiction publishing model that is going
to demolish the old one (at least from an economic point of view). At
$500 a copy, the report is almost certainly worth the money. And at
$500 a copy, a customized overview is also quite profitable for the
author. And finally, at $500, it's an effective calling card that
builds his business among a (very small but important to him) target
market. [Via Seth Godin]
What a cool model: find a niche (or already be in one), do the
research, publish your own report, customising for each purchaser.
First, your customized report, printed on
high-quality paper and wire-bound, tells you exactly how your Web site
compares against all 2,400+ winery Web sites on the basis of visitor
effectiveness, including a color copy of your own site rating. For each
of 25 rating elements, the report contains both numeric and graphic
comparisons of your score to the aggregate rating of all sites, common
shortcomings, and suggested best practices. The printed report provides
a context for thinking about your Web presence as part of your overall
sales and marketing strategy.
I wish I'd thought of it [Curiouser and curiouser!]