DO YOU NEED A WEB SITE?

Reasons why your business should consider having a presence on the Internet

The Internet is an interconnected group of computers linking business, education and government on a world wide basis. Currently (2007) it is estimated that there is between 1 and 2 billion computers connected to the Internet. Closer to home it is estimated that 75% of Calgarians have Internet access. On a world wide basis A.C. Neilson reported in 2005 that one tenth of the worlds population (about 627 million) are shopping on the Internet:

(http://us.acnielsen.com/news/20051019.shtml).

For more information on Canadians and their internet useage see: http://us.acnielsen.com/news/20051019.shtml

Stats Canada – for latest information on Internet useage: http://www.gdsourcing.com/works/InternetStatCan.htm

Starting a small business requires a careful marketing plan to ensure the money you spend will be recovered in additional business. There are many ways to market your business, products and services and the web is an economical method. One way to determine if you business should be on the web is to check if your competitors are using the web - start with google Survey some of your customers and ask them. If you product is new or different – then you may have to experiment or research whether businesses having similar products or services are using the web successfully.

Why businesses or organizations should have a web site:

• To promote a product or service via the Internet.
  
  
• To provide customer service, answer customers questions, provide detailed information.
  
  
• To conduct customer surveys and solicit their input on how to provide better service or products.
  
  
• To attract new customers and possible to sell to customers outside your normal territory.
  
  
• To publish or sell a magazine, book, music, photographs directly over the Net.
  
  
• To attract and hire employees e.g. Bayshore Inn hires summer employees through their web site.
  
  
• To enhance your company’s Brand name.
  
  
• Attract investors or buyers.

A web site says you are serious about doing business, and for small businesses that can not afford expensive office space or advertisements on TV and Radio – a web site is an economical marketing solution. Small business web sites start around $600 and can show your visitors your products in full color, along with sound, music, and video. You can incorporate a color catalog and sell products directly online by adding shopping carts. Unlike print media – changing and updating a web site can be done anytime and is relatively inexpensive to do so.

Steps to Produce a Successful Web site

• Before you begin have a clear goal in mind and know something about your audience.
  
  
• Provide something of value to your visitors, e.g. tips, discount coupon, news about new products.
  
  
• Have a professonal looking web site that loads quickly and use high quality photos - a poorly designed web site can push customers away.
  
  
• Update your web site regularly with news, new products and information relevant to your customers and list it with search engines and directores.
  
  
• Listen to your customers! Listen to their complaints, wishes and adjust your business and web site accordingly.
  
  
• Make it easy for your visitors to contact you. Treat any information you customers provide as confidential, respect their privacy – do not share this information with anyone else.
  
  
• Advertise your web site - include your domain on your business card, attach it to each and every email you send out, put your domain name on your car, shirts, business card and all other marketing materials.
  
  
• Be sure your web master registers your web site with the most popular search engines and optimizes your web site with keywords.
  
  
• Some web developers are also selling or buying keywords for you on Google, be sure you ask them for details as this is something you can do yourself and save thousands of dollars. Search engine optimization is an art, but some companies are charging thousands of dollars - do your homework and see the links at the top right!

Selling Your Products or Services Online. It has never been easier or more economical to sell your products online.

The simplest and cheapest solution is to use Paypal. The company is now owned by E-bay and signing up for an account is free. They provide free shopping carts that can be inserted into your web pages and in return they take a small percentage of your sale. Another Canadian company we recommend for e-commerce transactions is Internet Secure. They deal with all major banks in Canada and accept a wide variety of credit cards. Internet secure also offesr their shopping carts in several languages.

Examples of Successful "Netpreneurs"

1) http://www.hothothot.com/ - this company moved from a small store to online and subsequently closed their store to focus on their on-line sales.

2) CD now originally started by Jim and Jason Olson in 1996 - they sold $6 million dollars worth of music in their first year and have subsequently sold their business to amazon for $177 million http://www.amazon.com

3) Getty images buys iStock photo (Calgary Company) for $50 million dollars. http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php

If you operate a web site some things you must do.
If you have a web site you need to respond promptly, which means if you go away you need to make arrangements for someone to check your email and your orders. If you sell a product you might look into having another agency process and ship your orders. Visitors to your web site will expect information to be up to date, you will either need to learn how to make these updates yourself or get your developer to do this for you.

If you would like to make a free 30-60 minute appointment to request a quote or information about training please email or call me (Robert Berdan) at 403 247-2457.