A website cost varies, depending on the size of your company and
your needs, but a good website is crucial in creating that all important
first impression. It's worth investing in your 'shop' as this is what
will obviously encourage visitors to enter.
Savvy companies are now using the marketing tools available to them to specifically target their market, rather than the old days when just about the only option was to print lots of costly flyers and just hand them out like confetti, hoping to get a bite. In the beginning, people did exactly that 'virtually' with what we now call 'spam' or 'phishing', however the much simpler and most cost effective way is using a product such as Google AdWords - which is a pay per click system, so you only pay if someone visits your site.
Social Networking is another excellent tool for marketing your product and it's free! All that is required is time and effort - you need to visit chat rooms and forums and get your product out there and talked about. Friends and family cannot be underestimated here; they are a great way to get your business to a wider audience. If they share with their friends and their friends share etc. etc.
So you have your customer's attention, then what? Well, you must ensure your ordering & check out is as simple and painless as possible. Too many sales are lost as customers try to navigate the all too complex checkout process. You must offer a range of payment methods and ensure you use a secure payment operator and offer other methods such as PayPal.
Once you have the order and payment, you must ensure you complete the transaction as soon as possible, so if your product is to be mailed, ensure you send within the promised time. If it is for a service, ensure you are available at the time and date given to the customer.
Customer service is paramount for an internet business, with 100's of sites with forums dedicated to 'unmask' the rogue traders of the internet, do not let your company be one of them; you will fail before your start. Encourage dialogue with your customer, respond to emails promptly and if there is a problem with the order, try to involve the customer from the outset and offer a solution.
Remember, do not expect miracles straight away - your company will take time to build. Like any new venture, time and effort will pay off in the long run. Be patient, put in the ground work, and who knows, maybe, just maybe, you will get that fortune 500 listing.
Savvy companies are now using the marketing tools available to them to specifically target their market, rather than the old days when just about the only option was to print lots of costly flyers and just hand them out like confetti, hoping to get a bite. In the beginning, people did exactly that 'virtually' with what we now call 'spam' or 'phishing', however the much simpler and most cost effective way is using a product such as Google AdWords - which is a pay per click system, so you only pay if someone visits your site.
Social Networking is another excellent tool for marketing your product and it's free! All that is required is time and effort - you need to visit chat rooms and forums and get your product out there and talked about. Friends and family cannot be underestimated here; they are a great way to get your business to a wider audience. If they share with their friends and their friends share etc. etc.
So you have your customer's attention, then what? Well, you must ensure your ordering & check out is as simple and painless as possible. Too many sales are lost as customers try to navigate the all too complex checkout process. You must offer a range of payment methods and ensure you use a secure payment operator and offer other methods such as PayPal.
Once you have the order and payment, you must ensure you complete the transaction as soon as possible, so if your product is to be mailed, ensure you send within the promised time. If it is for a service, ensure you are available at the time and date given to the customer.
Customer service is paramount for an internet business, with 100's of sites with forums dedicated to 'unmask' the rogue traders of the internet, do not let your company be one of them; you will fail before your start. Encourage dialogue with your customer, respond to emails promptly and if there is a problem with the order, try to involve the customer from the outset and offer a solution.
Remember, do not expect miracles straight away - your company will take time to build. Like any new venture, time and effort will pay off in the long run. Be patient, put in the ground work, and who knows, maybe, just maybe, you will get that fortune 500 listing.
