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Ready to expand your business online?
Here's what you need to know
So, you’ve decided that you want to take the leap and create a
website for your business to boost sales. Where do you start? The first
thing is to decide what you want to accomplish. Consider the following
possible approaches.
Brochure site. If the primary purpose of your site is
to drive consumers to your bricks-and-mortar shop, then a simple one- or
two-page site, perhaps with the use of online promotions such as coupons
or newsletters, may be sufficient.
A massage therapist who leases space at a studio, for example, may
simply need to highlight his or her experience, provide contact
information and directions, and offer a few healthy body tips.
Build brand awareness. If your goal is to build or
expand your brand awareness, then you will need to develop a more robust
marketing strategy using richer design, content, and functionality.
An author who’s interested in creating buzz around her publications
or a budding filmmaker are examples where selling is secondary to
publicizing the brand across different channels.
E-commerce. If your business is taking the leap to
online sales, then you also need to develop a Web “storefront,” look
into online payment applications, and open a merchant account with your
bank.
A Web consultant can help you navigate the technical areas, and your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) may also be of assistance. Your first task
will be to choose a name or Web address.
What’s in a name?
If you’re starting a brand new business, you’ll need to choose a
domain name that will serve you online, offline, or both. Choose a domain
name that’s easy to remember and that reflects your business in some
way. Potential customers should be able to remember it and spell it
correctly when they search for you.
For more information on registering your domain name, go to the Canadian
Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) or speak to your Internet
Service Provider.
Dressed for success
Unless graphic design is part of what your business does, it probably
makes sense to get a professional to design your website. Ask friends and
business associates for referrals. Be sure to check references and look at
other sites they’ve worked on.
Look for someone who has experience designing e-commerce sites: If your
goal is to boost your business, a clean, professional, and
easy-to-navigate site may be more useful than one that is artistic and
creative.
Don’t forget that the design should flow from your business
objectives, not the other way around.
Your designer can also design a logo that fits your online vision. If
your existing logo is tired and in need of a boost, have the designer
refresh it.
If you’re not good with a camera, hire a pro to take great looking
digital pictures of your merchandise. Consumers expect your site to be
current and up-to-date, so be sure to refresh photos, product specs, and
prices on a regular basis.
Gone shopping
In order to sell on the Web, you need to build an electronic
“storefront” where customers can browse, put products into a
“shopping cart,” and then pay for the items when they check out. The
most successful e-commerce businesses make it easy for customers to do all
this with just a few clicks.
If you already have a website and are selling a few items, a shopping
cart application will help your site take those orders and then send them
to a payment application service for processing. Full storefront solutions
are also available if you don’t have an existing website.
Shopping cart and storefront solutions are often bundled with other
services, including e-payment options, web hosting, and business email.
Speak to a Web consultant about what’s right for you.
Business tip: Get the fulfillment right. Making
the sale online is just one part of the equation. Having the inventory
on-hand and getting it to your customer in a timely manner will help
ensure repeat business.
Security first
If you accept credit card payments, you will need to ensure that the
card information is secure during transmission and when the data are
stored in your server.
Because security is such a huge issue, you probably should look into
using online payment processing services.
These services securely process your credit card sales completely
independently of your business. You will be charged a commission on the
sale (often about 2%), a small transaction fee, and possibly a monthly
fee. Depending on the type of service you choose, you may need a merchant
account, in addition to your storefront e-commerce solution.
Even if you use a payment service, you will still need a way to protect
your customers’ information — such as names, email addresses, and
mailing addresses. Your Internet Service Provider may offer secure space
on its server, and your storefront provider may also provide security
measures as part of its package.
But your business still needs to be constantly vigilant about security.
The following articles can help.
The nature of the online world means that things are constantly
changing. Check out the forums on small business and entrepreneur
websites. Ask questions about products and services, and find out what’s
worked for others. And keep reading MyVault Business News.
We’ll help to keep you up-to-date with the exciting world of e-commerce.
Your business banker is a good sounding board for your online expansion
plans. He or she can also put you in touch with the right solution
providers.
[Source:
Scotiabank My Vault]
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