Posted by: Chet Woodside on December 31st, 2008
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 1,016 times
The New Year is only hours away and, like many others, eBusiness Connections had made some resolutions of its own. In 2009, eBusiness Connections plans to deliver more information about emerging industry tools and trends, including how these tools can help your small business operate and market itself more economically.
We have decided to focus on five key blog series this year:
- Social Media: Dip Your Toe In
What is social media and can your growing small business make use of it?
- Do You Want to Use a Software as a Service (SaaS) Application?
What is SaaS and how can it help your small business grow?
- Do You Need Online Video to Sell Your Product?
Is online video right for your small business?
- Your Brand Online
How the web changed branding and what your small business can do to take advantage of these changes.
- Website Content Management System (CMS) Evolved
The new players in the market and how these CMS's help you maintain your business's website.
Social Media: Dip Your Toe In
"Social media" is simply a buzzword (have you ever heard of non-social media?) that refers to new communication platforms online. Recently, Jess Sloss published an article for SocialSquared discussing that the public expects your small business to have a social media presence. The key to social media is understanding its strengths and weaknesses. Once you gain this understanding, you can develop a marketing plan based on social media and choose specific tools/platforms that best suit the needs of your business.
Do You Want to Use a Software as a Service Application?
Software as a Service (SaaS) is an emerging online industry of hosted software tools your company can use. These tools aim to remove common software burdens, including software maintenance, ongoing operation, ongoing support and high up-front costs. Is SaaS for your growing small business? Are you looking for an invoicing tool or a Web Content Management System with built-in support? This blog series is meant to help you understand the pros and cons of SaaS, as well as how it may help your small business grow.
Do You Need Online Video to Sell My Product?
Why does everyone seem to be on YouTube and why do individual blogs have video? Could your business market itself through videos and podcasts? What about broadcasting your next event via the web? Now, more than ever, online video broadcast capabilities are much more viable. Online video does not just include promotional material. How about conferencing your next multi-city office meeting? This blog series will help you understand what resources exist regarding video online, and how it may benefit a small business owner.
Your Brand Online
The web has changed marketing and brand identity online. Now, your brand is often established and re-affirmed online based on how people speak about your business. It'ss time to put away the soapbox and start a conversation with your customer. Listening to your customer may prove to be the best branding and research decision your business will make. Checkout mystarbucksidea.com or DunkinDonuts Twitter page to get an idea of what we are talking about. This blog series will help you understand how listening and speaking with your customers online will strengthen and solidify your brand's identity.
Website CMS Evolved
Managing your business website is easier than you think. The Content Management System arena on the web has grown tremendously. The small business owner now has very good paid solutions, open source, and SaaS web content management tools at their disposal. Understanding whether your business needs a CMS and how to choose the correct one for your needs is the focus of this blog series.
Over the course of 2009, our goal is to provide the small business owner with the information needed to direct its presence in the online world. These five focused blog series have been planned based on the questions you ask us most, and we are eager to provide you with the answers. eBusiness Connections would also like to hear more about the information your small business craves. Please feel free to email us at info@e-bc.ca with any questions or suggestions you have.
Have a Happy New Year!
Tags: Website, CMS, Evolved,, Your, Brand, Online,, Online, Video,, SaaS, Applications,, Social, Media
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Posted by: Andy on December 1st, 2008
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 1,152 times
December 2nd is my last day at eBC/Small Business BC. I have accepted a position with Graphically Speaking. It’s a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to all the challenges ahead. I would like to thank all the staff at Small Business BC, especially Rod Young, Amy Elgie, and Candice Macalino. I would like to thank all my eBC clients who I have helped over the past three years, and especially Huey Tollett who taught me what bravery and strength really mean. Huey started as my client and I’m proud to say became my friend. I’d like to thank Christina Baumgartner for her patience and positive attitude. I’d also like to thank Chet Woodside, to whom I entrust eBC, and Nathan Waters, to whom I profoundly hope gets a fair deal. Finally, I would like to thank Jennifer Reid, who brought me into eBC. She has taught me a lot about people, especially how to think win-win.
I leave eBC better then how I found it, and isn’t that the way to go?
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Posted by: Andy on September 15th, 2008
Category: General eBusiness, e-Commerce, Seminars, e-Business Basics
Viewed: 1,726 times
Congratulations. You have decided the start an e-business or have decided to expand your existing business online. We have created a list of ten steps to help you on your way.
1. Evaluate the Idea
The bottom line of any business depends upon customers buying your product or service – if they won't buy you won't succeed! Unfortunately many businesses fail simply because they don't know who their customer is. Your customers might be consumers or retail stores, wholesalers or manufacturers, government or other institutions. List as many points as you can about who yo u think will buy your product and then list the reasons why they would by from you and not your competitor.
2. Define the Revenue Model
Now that you have identified your customer and listed the reasons they would by from you your next step is to define your revenue model – how are you going to make money. Find out who your competitors are and what they charge for similar products and services. What is unique about your offer that would benefit your customer? There may be something about your product, your price, the friendliness and speed of your service, your hours of operation, your level of quality, the skills of your employees or other aspect of your business?
3. Erase the “E”
Remove the “e” from e-business and e-commerce. Online business is no different then traditional “real world” business – it's just a different environment. The same rules governing business practices, competition, customer service, marketing, and taxation apply, although they may vary slightly. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that e-business and e-commerce is easier.
4. Take a Seminar
Take advantage of the incredible amount of seminars offered by Small Business BC. These incredibly affordable seminars cover almost every aspect of starting a small business, such as taxation, human resources, copyright, trademarks, sales, marketing, accounting, and search engine marketing – all presented by industry experts. Details and a full listing can be found at www.smallbusinessbc.ca/seminars
5. Create the Business
Although many e-businesses begin as home-based, they need to be setup and registered properly – and when your business outgrows your home-office and becomes the “next big thing” you'll be thankful it has this strong foundation. Use the amazing resources available at Small Business BC to create your business; most of them free. They can help you conduct a business name search and business registration, obtain a GST, PST, and business number, and guide you through the process of registering with Worksafe BC , municipal business licensing, and many other rules and regulations applications.
6. Write Your Business Plan
Success in today's economy requires a solid foundation of knowledge from which sound business decisions can be made. For most people considering or involved in creating a new business venture, this foundation is built from a formal business plan. Even if you believe your business does not require a formal plan, most business experts highly recommend that you conduct at least some preliminary research prior to committing yourself legally or financially to your business enterprise. The strategic value of a business plan is derived from the information you collect and the knowledge you acquire during this process. That is, the exercise of preparing a business plan is critical in helping you gain an understanding of how your business venture will operate in the marketplace. Checkout Small Business BC's Business Plan resources page at http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/bizstart-bPlanning.php
7. Craft the Message
What are the words and phrases your customers would search for to find your products or services? Your main message should revolve around those words and phrases. For instance, suppose you repair radios in Vernon BC . It is logical to assume that potential customers living in the area will be searching for “ radio repair north okanagan ” and so your message should be: “ Vernon Communications, North Okanagan's expert affordable radio repair since 1991 ”. This message will serve as your “tag line” and will become the foundation for your marketing.
8. Register the Domain
Use your crafted message when you register your domain name. In the example above a good domain name would be vernon-radio-repair.com or okanagan-radio-repair.com because both domains contain the words that potential customers will use when the search. A domain name provides an online identity and contact point for your business or organization. Choosing an appropriate yet available name is no easy task in a saturated market — world-wide, registered domain names near 5 billion and counting. Therefore, choosing the right domain name means balancing availability with brand recognition, search engine marketing, and user appeal.
9. Write the Content
The right keywords in your web copy can make the difference between a top 10 and top 500 search engine ranking. Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines frequently send spiders to websites in search of relevant, keyword-rich web copy. Nourish their logical needs and you'll reap higher search engine rankings and traffic. Once you get visitors to your website, your web copy must connect with them on an emotional level to engage them and ultimately convert sales. That's where customer-centric web copy, compelling headlines, effective calls to action and strategically placed links come into play. You gain credibility, trust and sales. Crafting content is hard and so it is often wise to employ the services of a quailed web copy writer, like Rick Sloboda from www.webcopyplus.com
10. Hire the Best Company
The web development industry is unregulated and anyone can profess to be a web developer. You need to educate yourself in matters of usability, aesthetics, search engine marketing, ecommerce, regulations, and taxation in order to ensure you are hiring a qualified and competent person to create your website. Ask to see previous work: This is the best way to assess their skills. But don't let yourself be fooled by appearances. Just because they have a professional looking website doesn't mean they are a professional company. Our directory of e-solution providers, www.ebizpages.ca , lists web companies that are BC registered businesses.
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Posted by: Andy on July 29th, 2008
Category: General eBusiness, e-Business Basics
Viewed: 1,219 times
A few weeks ago, a client asked me to give her a ballpark estimate of what she should expect to pay for a basic e-commerce website. She didn’t want anything fancy, just something reliable, secure, appealing, and functional, with which she could sell her husband’s custom-made fishing tackle. She and her husband saw an opportunity to expand his hobby into a home-based business, leveraging the power, reach, and potential of the World Wide Web.
Like many entrepreneurs who start a home based business, her budget was tight, and so my estimate of five or six thousand dollars or more for a custom ecommerce would consume most of it. (Yes, dear reader, I do know of alternatives, such as eBay’s ProStores - www.prostores.com - or StoresOnline - www.storesonline.com – neither of which require design nor development costs to implement. However, as frequent readers know, a custom developed website can be an asset – especially if you license it properly!). The remainder, she explained, would have to suffice until the business began to make money.
She saw no need to create a business plan assuming that the only costs incurred will be the upfront design and development of the website, the domain registration, and the monthly hosting. She had failed to budget for any other expenses – the classic trap of viewing e-business as something other than a “real” business with “real” recurring expenses. Perhaps it is because of the impersonal nature of e-business – transactions happen autonomously – which creates the illusion that once launched, the website can be ignored, and the only reminder of its continued functioning is the trip to the bank to deposit the sales receipts. This mentality is most evident in the increase in queries regarding crop shipping.
However, just like any business, there are costs to be incurred, regardless if they are paid in cash, or paid in time and effort. Consider the cost of security. Remaining vigilant by occasionally testing your order process, keeping your computers anti-virus definitions up-to-date, and remaining informed as to the latest scams, frauds, phishing, and other dangers all takes time. Another hidden cost is the time consumed in providing customer service. Coordinating returns, processing refunds, answer questions, and arranging special requests is an important part of the business, and good customer service can translate into repeat business. Considering the participatory nature of Web 2.0, it is important to remain active by participating and moderating the activity on your website. Interactivity, in the form of product reviews, forums, bulletin boards, and social networking sites all place demands on your time which is often not directly revenue generating, but important nonetheless.
As browsers and operating systems evolve, computer monitors get larger and cheaper, and the use of web-enabled devices, such as the Blackberry and iPhone, become increasingly common, the necessity of frequently reviewing your websites technical attributes cannot be overlooked. If, for instance, the majority of your customers visit your website using mobile devices, you must ensure that your website adapts to changes in technology so as to remain accessible, usable, and functional for your customers.
The reality is that your e-business needs to be found by your customers, but you are competing on a global scale for the important first page on Google, and getting found takes time and effort. What was once a positive reason to sell online – sell to a global marketplace – also means you are competing with businesses around the world. Arguably, the largest expense in time and money, after the design and development of the website, will be marketing to the search engines. Activities such as keyword research, content updates, blogging for business, submitting your site to the search engines, pay-per-click advertising, link building, and routinely reviewing traffic stats and activity using web analytics, necessitate time, effort, and commitment in order to ensure your site will be found by your customers.
This is why proper business planning is so important. Securing financing is a big part of the business plan – and often not even considered when starting an e-business. Keeping an eye on security, providing excellent customer service, participating in the community, staying current with advances in technology, and marketing your site to the search engines all require time and money. While it is possible to absorb this expenses temporarily, proper financing will sustain your business until it generates positive cash flow. Failing to plan, is planning to fail.
4 Comments »
Posted by: Chet Woodside on July 7th, 2008
Category: General eBusiness, Blogging, e-Business Basics
Viewed: 1,379 times
The average small business does not know how to find a web designer or web developer. However, with some initial planning and careful preparation, you will be able to find a web development professional to meet your business needs.
1. Evaluate the Needs of Your Online Business Presence
Setting clear, concise goals will help you understand what your business wants to achieve from the website. Create a "Request for Proposal," or RFP, to write these goals down and determine which website features are essential and which ones would be nice additions. A website RFP is also useful when you are recruiting and communicating with web development professionals. Download the following document to help you develop your proposal: Create an RFP for Your Website.
2. Narrow Down a Group of Web Designers/Web Developers
After creating your website RFP, you will need to shortlist a group of web development professionals. Below is a list of websites that will help you assemble your potential shortlist:
Additionally, a Google search for "Vancouver freelance web design" or "Vancouver web designers" will give you many different local web designers to consider.
When looking at the portfolios of potential web designers, think about the following questions:
- Do I like the look and feel of their previous work?
- Do they have quality references?
- Have they created websites similar to what I need for my website?
- Do they have all the technical skills required to complete the job? It's important that whoever you choose to work with thoroughly understands the technical requirements necessary for your website.
3. Email Your Website RFP
Email your website RFP to the entire list of potential web designers you have shortlisted. Here is an easy way to do so:
- Compose a new email address it to yourself.
- Add all your potential web designers to the BCC field of your e-mail
- Create a clear subject line, such as "XYZ Business is looking to have a website created (RFP attached)"
- Write a brief introductory sentence describing your business and yourself
- Attach your website RFP to the e-mail, send and then wait for feedback
4. Review, Negotiate and Get Comfy.
Next you'll be reviewing the feedback from you website RFP. There will likely be a mix of good, not-so-good and standout replies. If possible, call and make a one-on-one appointment with the candidates that stood out. Meeting the potential web designer is very important, especially since you will want to feel comfortable working together. Consider the following points when meeting a web designer:
- There is no need to pay for an initial meet and greet
- If you do not already have a domain name or web hosting, let the designer know you will still need to do so. It is ideal to have both registered in your business name
- Ask for references to websites that the designer created with similar requirements to your own needs
- It is okay to ask for a list of past clients to contact. If you do contact a reference, the only question that really matters is whether the client would work with the designer again. The only answer that matters is "Yes."
- It is not common that a quality web designer will develop a website mock-up for you as a free pitch to get the contract. This approach will often scare away quality talent
- A quality web designer will listen to your plan, assess your needs, and provide constructive feedback regarding any areas of your website plan that may need improvement
5. Get Everything in Writing
After picking a web designer, commit everything about the project to writing, including:
- Financial terms and payment schedules
- Any legal requirements that need signing off
- Itemized list of what and when deliverables will be provided to you by the web designer
- Itemized list of what and when deliverables will be provided by you to the web designer
- A project timeline outlining key milestone and final release dates
Having everything in writing provides both parties with a clear blueprint of what is expected.
Following this process will help to make the process of finding a web designer an easier task. The time spent planning your website needs will make for an organized, well-communicated working relationship between yourself and the designer you choose to create your website.
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