eBanyan, Inc.
eBanyan, Inc.
4963B NE Goodview Circle,
Lees Summit, MO 64064.
t: (816) 256-3861
f: (816) 278-9132
Online Marketing
More than 80% of US small businesses with PCs are now on the Internet . They are also moving quickly to establish their own home pages, maintaining their own Websites. However, when it comes to ecommerce, small business opportunity have not lived up to their expectations. Examining your company's potential to service clients needs is the next crucial step in developing an effective Ecommerce Strategy.
It has never been easier for small businesses to get up and running on the Internet Marketing. But, despite the available resources, small businesses continue to sit on the sidelines when it comes to ecommerce. 'Inertia is a key factor,' said Raymond Boggs, IDC's Vice-President for Small Business/ Home Office research. 'Although many small firms say they are going to implement ecommerce and begin selling online, it still requires more of an effort than simply setting up a home page.' Although many small businesses are retailers, an even larger number are service providers that may not be in a position to sell anything online. Making sure you can deliver what your clients require in a timely fashion is absolutely necessary in developing your web solutions. Workflow issues, such as how incoming orders are handled, must be addressed before online selling can be effectively integrated into operations. Getting operations logically organized may be seen as the biggest chore in moving to ecommerce.
Working with banks to establish merchant accounts and coordinating with other financial institutions can also be seen as a lot of work even though comprehensive solutions are available to take care of this. By examining your companies positioning in the market and then evaluating the bonding issues surrounding such a position you will better be able to plan your companies Internet presence Successful online marketing involves Planning, Content, Design, Hosting, Maintenance and Promotion.
If you want to get most out of online marketing you must understand following facts:
Online marketing is one of several marketing channels
Understand what is online marketing.
Having just a website is not online marketing.
Planning
Identifying your target customers and their needs will help you to define the theme and content of your website. Asking your existing customers how they search for products or services will provide you with valuable information.
Content
Most important element of a web site is the content. It must be relevant and attractive to buyers. People will visit your site if it matches their needs and they will stay if they find it interesting and useful and they will make a purchase if they are sure of your credibility. Content should also be structured to include an 'About' section, contact details, Frequently Asked Questions and links to other relevant websites.
Design
Your site should primarily be designed for ordinary people. It should be simple to navigate, relatively quick to load and consistent in both theme and content. Some websites use animations and graphics to attract customers. Unfortunately it takes longer to load. Eventually, it is the text that sells. Most people use Search engines and Directories to search for products and services. Therefore, it is important that your web site is Search Engines Friendly.
Hosting
When choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) be sure that as a minimum they offer cheap web hosting e.g high speed access, server reliability and redundancy. You should also ensure that you have the facility to back up your web site just in case!
Maintenance
It is important that the site is kept up to date; and that returning visitors are given new information and products. Ongoing updates will help to maintain enough interest to keep visitors coming back. As database of e-mail addresses gets bigger you can inform your clients by sending them regular newsletters. Inquiries received from the web site should be handled promptly and professionally. Automatic-e-mails can be used to acknowledge receipt of an enquiry and you must keep or exceed your promises. If you say that an enquiry will be dealt with within 48 hours then it must be.
Promotion
A website is similar to a brochure and, to be effective, a brochure must be distributed and displayed properly. In order to drive traffic to your site you should promote your site through search Engines submissions and online directories.
Copyright©2009 eBanyan, Inc.
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