12 Steps to Creating a Business Online
- by Jim Edwards
(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
=====================================
"E-commerce"
A word pervading our society, making headlines around the world,
and causing the stock market to rise and fall with startling
ease.
It seems every business news story centers on some technology
company's "DOT-com" or "DOT-bomb"!
With all the positive and negative hoopla, business owners of
any size company can throw up their hands and feel the "E" world
has left them behind.
Every business owner, salesperson, or professional asked one of
two questions in the past year, either "Am I using e- commerce
correctly?" or "How do I effectively get involved in
e-commerce?"
You can buy hundreds of books and pay thousands in consulting
fees to analyze and debate the answer to the first question.
To answer to the second question just follow these 12 steps.
Step 1 - Buy a domain name (your own DOT-com). Go to
www.NetworkSolutions.com and research names. Can a customer
easily spell and remember it?
Step 2 - Write down your online goals and prepare a time and
money budget.
How soon do you want your e-commerce site up and running?
How much will you spend?
How many hours will you devote to the site and when?
Step 3 - Surf the web to find other sites you like and dislike.
Learn from others' successes and mistakes by taking the best of
what their sites offer and adapting it for your own use.
Step 4 - Design your site on paper. Define elements, look, feel,
colors etc.
Step 5 - Hire a professional to set up the graphics and
navigation, but with the intention of you or your staff
maintaining the site's day to day operations, communication and
updates.
Step 6 - Invest in a digital camera and web publishing software
such as Microsoft Front Page or Adobe Acrobat to keep up with
the site's maintenance.
Step 7 - Maintain, change, and update your site at least once a
month. (The one exception to this rule are those one- page,
sales letter websites. Once you have one of those that performs
well and makes sales, don't change it!!)
Step 8 - Promote your site at every opportunity. Tell people
about it. Put your web address on your business cards and in all
your ads. Some companies even advertise their web address when
they put you on hold on the telephone.
Step 9 - Give people a self-serving reason to visit your site.
Coupon savings, discounts, special incentives, free information,
and free newsletters represent excellent enticements for
attracting visitors to your site.
Step 10 - Concentrate on obtaining an email address from every
customer and potential customer.
Obtain permission to send periodic, value-added malings to your
database.
Use a list server to organize and maintain your mailing list.
Step 11 - Always look for and use the simplest solution or
option.
Whether adding a shopping cart, database or other option to your
e-commerce operation, seek out and use the simplest answer for
your needs.
Step 12 - Become educated and stay current in the world of
e-commerce.
Learn the marketing and sales techniques of the online world.
----
Jim Edwards is the co-author of a "paint by numbers" guide with
step-by-step VIDEO that guarantees to teach you how to go from
zero to making real money online in about a month!
"33 Days to Online Profits"
============================================= "Finally - a
Simple, Video-Based Training System on CD-ROM that Teaches You
Step-By-Step How to Make Real Money Online... 100% Guaranteed!"
You can start with a few bucks and a good idea to make lots of
money online! I did, and I'll teach you how no matter what
product or service you sell... Click Here =>
http://www.33daystoonlineprofits.com/video/?41308
About the author:
None