The B2B sector has finally got the tools it needs to do a cost effective job of promoting itself and its products to its audiences. Whilst the consumers play with the home shopping sites and the entertainment, the Web provides the business environment with communications, research and an affordable shop window. A global shop window at that.

It has been a long time coming and it's not all here yet. The latest important step was speed of access and that came with broadband. Many pundits have said that no business in the world can afford to be without the Internet. It is the most important channel any B2B company could have. The Internet is the place to find business, do business and maintain customers.

The rapid development of Search Engines has made access to the billions of bytes of information a major factor for any researcher or buyer. Seeking facts is now a two way street and today facts seek the searcher in a never-ending process. The searcher's profile is gleaned from his search history and passed to interested advertisers who use your email to deliver their messages. All messages will be relevant. It's no different from well targeted direct mail, except a thousand times faster and a great deal cheaper. And they say we've seen nothing yet.

However, there is a downside. When rules change he who understands first and best has the advantage. Never forget your customers are your competitors' prospects and future sales growth. And he will use the Internet to secure that business if he can.