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Internet Strategy for Small Businesses: Step 1

Written by: Ajay Prasad

Article Overview: Step 1 for your new business venture....

Internet Strategy for Small Businesses: Step 1

Congratulations on your new business venture!

You have this superb idea and you are raring to go to put those ideas into action. But as so get down to work the parameters involved overwhelm you and suck away half of the enthusiasm. Believe me setting up a business is no cakewalk even with years of experience. I have gone through it and in my business I see this often…

Here’s how to go raring ahead.

PLANNING: Be thorough. Even though you know what you want, write it out. Keep a notepad and a pen by your side to note down important ideas, information. Make alist of the tasks for each day and cross them out when done. This is the most satisfying time

• Why an I doing it? (Money, success, to make friend, to share information)
• Where to begin? (Totally online?)
• How to do it? (Myself or some vendor)
• What is the best way to do it? (Translates to reading and gaining a lot of knowledge)

Why Do You Need a Website?

Small established local businesses always ask this question.

It’s a well established fact through data that customers, especially in the US check products online before entering a store to make a purchase. Small businesses or relatively unknown businesses can benefit out of this. Take the example of OC Bride. It is an Orange County based bridal and wedding resource magazine. Its clientele is very local and specific. It went online and got an astonishing 124% increase in the number of subscriptions. This happened because when would be brides typed in phrases like “orange county bride”, “orange county bride resource”, “orange county wedding resource” they website came up.

United States: Average Web Usage on Home Panel
Month of December 2008
Sessions/Visits Per Person - 36
Domains Visited Per Person - 65
PC Time Per Person - 37:56:49
Duration of a Web Page Viewed - 00:00:54
Active Digital Media Universe - 153,326,129
Current Digital Media Universe Estimate - 222,723,436

Source: Nielsen Online, December 2008

See the stats. An average surfer spends 38 hours from his home and visits an amazing 65 domains. So he is not just replying to emails, he is searching or browsing. And that’s where your business comes in.

125 Million Websites Out There, Do You Stand A Chance?

Of course you do. Just do all the things correctly. Analyze your business and client behaviors and plan accordingly.

BUT make sure your website stands out either in product, offer or search engines.

Niche websites have a greater chance of doing well. For example, the OC-Bride.com website that caters only to Orange County brides.

If you have a remarkable business idea, create a demand for your product through the internet. Let people talk about it. Remember Starbucks was just a travel company with a website before it started offering lesbian and gay cruises. The website enabled them to sign up instantly. This idea transformed the entire business.

If you have a general business about which you think nothing is remarkable, concentrate on local search engine, local press and local offers. You will be amazed at the results.

What Type Of Website Should You Have?

Generally, business websites can be divided into two categories- ECommerce and Service websites. While ecommerce websites have a list of products along with a shopping cart, service websites just list their services along with additional information and a contact mail or number.

Do a lot of research on what you want your website to be. Research on customer behavior for your related product. Talk to experts, ask on forums. Only then come to a conclusion about the type of website you need. You’ll have the following options

1. Primarily an information site (a type of article site, or an ezine?)
2. An e-commerce site
3. A combination of both?
4. A service site with call to action
5. An info cum service site?
6. Just a blog
7. A forum

These issues will help determine the orientation and budget of your website.

So get your notepad and pens out…

Related Articles
  What is Internet Branding?
  Deciding To Market Your Business Online
  Selling in Tough times
  Creating Your Own Web Marketing Strategy
  What Is Marketing And How Did It Change?

Article Tags: brides, business venture, cakewalk, clientele, duration, local businesses, money success, new business, nielsen, notepad, orange county wedding, pc time, phrases, resource magazine, setting up a business, share information, small businesses, superb idea, web usage, wedding resource



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