Without a road map it is difficult, if not impossible, to reach your destination. Trying to run your company without a ecommerce platforms plan could leave you running in many different directions without accomplishing anything of value.
As I mentioned in a previous article the Internet landscape is riddled with the graves of those who had a great idea but had no clue how to proceed. A good plan applies not only to the start-up phase but also as a road map for day-to-day operation as well as for the long term objectives.
Creating Your Road Map For Success
To set specific goals for your online presence, ask yourself these questions:
? Why do you want to start this enterprise
? Why start it online?
? What would you buy online?
? What induced you to buy online?
? How did you find the overall experience?
Try duplicating on your website all the things that enticed you to open you wallet or purse when you made a purchase. If you can accomplish this your chances for success have just increased dramatically.
There are dozens of other questions and reasons I had when I got started, but only you can answer these questions for yourself. Your vision must be crystal clear as to where you are going so that you can commit to making your venture successful over a long period of time.
To implement your business plan into your daily operations consider these suggestions
? Give yourself time to write a brief description of your company and what you intend to accomplish with it.
? If you do not have a marketing strategy, then draw one up. Again nothing is to be considered to way out here. Some of the most successful websites I have seen used extraordinary out of the box marketing that brought exceptional results.
? Count those beans. If you do not keep track of your finances you likely will not be in business for long.
There are a number of software programs available that will help you prepare your plan. Programs such as Business Plan Pro by Palo Alto, Microsoft Office Live Small Business, and JIAN BizPlan Business Plan Builder are some of the more popular programs available. The cost for these programs range from $59.95 to $129.95. Besides being relatively affordable, any one of them can help you design your business plan the right way from the very start.
The Internet is a fascinating world where fortunes are made and lost on a daily basis. Give yourself time to develop your companies plan and avoid becoming a sad statistic. Ecommerce can be complex and expensive; it all depends on your goals for your online store. Take heart because not so long ago others like you were just starting out, and they, too, had only their dream and the moxie to venture out and try something new.
E-commerce First Impression
E-Commerce landing pages are like front doors? friendly, easily accessible and an invitation to the visitor to enter. That?s how you want cyberspace visitors to perceive your landing page. You are selling products and/or services on your e-Commerce site, and you need to have a landing page that invites readers in to take a look. There are some tips that you can consider as you build your front door to make it as friendly and inviting as possible.
Once the visitor clicks on your well-placed ad, he enters your landing page, your front door. His/her eyes go immediately to the area above the fold and to the upper left side of the screen. Put the information there that you want your visitors to see first. Write headlines that pop.
Don?t add fluff; make sure the visitor knows what you are about. Your message should be clear to the reader, and it should define the value of your product or service. Remember that pictures always speak louder (and frequently more effectively) than words.
Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. Content on your page needs to be organized so it?s easily followed. Columns help visitors browse your pages, and they help search engines identify who you are. But research suggests a single column produces more conversions than multiple columns on a page.
Take a look at the composition of your page and minimize columns if at all possible. Keep your copy easy to read and understand. If your visitor has to wade through a morass of language that is difficult to follow, you will lose him/her.
You will also lose your visitor if you require a sequence of clicks on several pages to complete a purchase. If I?m in a store trying to purchase an item and find the process lengthy or otherwise frustrating, I?m likely to leave and go somewhere else. There are too many options in the world of commerce to have to put up with being challenged when trying to make a purchase.
Try to make buying your product or service as easy as possible; preferably, one click on the landing page should get the customer to the page to complete a purchase. No eCommerce site reaches 100% CTR. But yours will increase if you make the process simple.
Finally, it?s important to remember you are promoting your brand. Some of the tips will need to be individualized for your particular site. You won?t want a page full of energy if you determine a less forceful approach is desirable. Likewise, don?t create a calm and pastoral page if you want an edgy feel. Your brand needs to be compatible with the tone of your page; each needs to complement the other for maximum appeal for visitors.
If you keep the ?front door? concept in mind as you create your landing page, your chances for visitors to become customers will improve.
The New Seller?s Guide To Ebay
Selling on ebay is as easy as ABC!!!
If you have something interesting to sell, there are millions of buyers out there on eBay waiting to buy it from you. Sadly, not many have been able to gauge the amazing potential eBay has when it comes to selling and the number of ways in which eBay can boost their businesses.
What can you sell?
As long as the range of products you have are unique and enticing enough to lure buyers, you can sell practically anything on eBay. From music cds and computer software to books and interesting gift items, you can successfully sell everything on the mega auction site ? eBay! Upload these interesting goodies in your auction list and offer them at competitive prices for online sale.
Don’t forget to add a picture
Adding images can do wonders for your online sale, as a good picture is far more effective than detailed description of the item on sale. When it comes to selling items such as costume jewelry and apparels, your buyers would be more convinced by seeing the image rather than reading a mere description about the specifications of the product. Ideally, you can include pictures (at the top of the page) to show the product from various angles to lure buyers.
How to sell?
I feel it is crucial to create a product title that’s packed with suitable keywords in order to be easily found when buyers search for similar products. Your product listings must be accompanies with appropriate product details and if the product being offered is a second hand one, don’t forget to mention this in product details.
When you sell your products on eBay, buyers pay you in advance and offering some sort of guarantee or warranty on your products can make your buyers feel more comfortable when dealing with you.
One thing that can boost your sale on eBay is the number of payment options you provide to your buyers. Offer as many payment options as you can so that you don’t lose out on a lucrative deal simply because the options offered didn’t suit that particular buyer. Buyers generally prefer online payment options, as they are fast and easy.
Be patient and polite with your customers
Since your buyers don’t actually know whom they are dealing with, any delay on your side to contact them can be highly discomforting. Make sure that you follow up once you receive a sale in order to build trust and get more business from the same buyer in future.
One thing you must avoid at all costs is being impolite. You need to be very polite with your customers even if they are offensive at times. If your buyers are unhappy with the product they have purchased, you may try giving a replacement or at least try being sympathetic towards their concerns.
