About an hour and a half south of I 75 in eastern Tennessee is a fishing village that has been there for longer than anyone can recall. Located in the heart of the Cherokee National Forest no less than 45 minutes from the Food Lion The sparsely stocked bait shop does a good business selling bugs and buns, worms and wieners at a premium price. The beer cooler is half the size of the store so I can only assume that they do a fair trade in alcohol. To be honest, I haven’t fished there but in all of the times I have been there I have never seen a fish caught. With all of the rivers and lakes in Tennessee, the logical question would be why would someone drive that far to fish in a place where the fishing seems to be poor?

The answer is found in the old business adage “location, location, location. All year long this winding stretch of highway is jammed with tourists. Every turn of the road presents another picture postcard view of the free flowing river and the steep Blue Ridge Mountains that surround it. The thick hemlock and laurel foliage, combined with the fog and mist from the river, create magical shafts of light that sparkle as they reach the water. Intoxicated by the drive, the sight of a fly fisherman backlit by the fairy dust would cause even the most devout couch potato to be drawn to this spot on the river like the trout they seek to catch. It doesn’t matter if they catch any fish or not. Fishing here is truly about the journey, not the destination.

As with all business philosophies, the hard and fast rules are not only flexible, they are subject to change with the market. The advent of online merchandising that was supposed to be the downfall of civilization has proven to be just the opposite. “E-stores” and online catalogs have allowed people to start a business with an infinitesimal investment. The Internet removes all geographic limitations and allows shoppers 24-hour access to anything imaginable. The cyber market like any other market is constantly changing only faster. Although the variables that determine business success are infinite, the same mechanisms that influence brick and mortar business affect online business:

• Location: The biggest influence of location is traffic. How easy is it to find, how long does it take to get there and will it be seen by drive by traffic? An ever-increasing content has made the World Wide Web significantly more difficult to navigate. To be ranked at the top of the search results is becoming a critical issue. Trading links with other like businesses can attract casual shoppers who might not have been looking for you.
• Perceived value: Does the final delivery cost equal what the customer thinks the product is worth? The appearance and functionality of the site sets the tone for the expected quality to be received. A "do it yourself" look will cause potential buyers to suspect the legitimacy and professionalism of your company, which directly affects its perceived value.
• Customer service: What will the buyer's impression be of the transaction? Is the merchandise easy to locate? Is the transaction simple and safe? How long will it take to receive the product? What happens if something goes wrong? Clearly defining these parameters in your "About Us" section will go a long way toward instilling confidence in your customers.
• Marketing: How will potential customers find out about your product or business? What does the image say about what to expect? How clear is your mission and what your customer should expect? How does your product or service differ from that of your customer? Although your business may be online, it is still important to rely on the old world media to reach potential customers.

When I was a kid, my cousin and I sat on the tailgate of my granddads '49 Chevy pick-up as he took us to the local fishing hole. The only road to the pond was a rough, muddy dirt road, rutted out from use, making travel slow and difficult. It would sometimes take an hour to get there even though it was only a couple of miles off of the main road. Today, there are giant lakes with concrete boat ramps and public picnic areas within a short distance of every community. If I had to choose, though, I’d pick that old truck and that fishing hole over all the fancy bass boats in the world. For me, it wasn’t about fishing, it was about the fun. Wherever your business is, it’s not all about the location. It’s not even all about the convenience. It’s about what they find when they get there.