Generate Success

Learn to Manage your eCommerce Admin:

Backend operations are the backbone of your online storefront. Spend time analysing and getting to know the backend administrative area provided by your eCommerce software.

Features such as inventory management processing, customer history, credit card processing and the reporting systems. The backend functionality is as useful to you for managing the system as it is for the frontend to be aesthetically pleasing and easy to use, for your customers.

All your backend operations are expected to be accurate, scalable and provide real time data. Your choice of eCommerce solution should largely depend on the strength of your backend operations and how much information it will provide you with on your customers, and how customisable it can be in helping to manage selling your products or services.

A potential threat to your eCommerce operations is systems failure owing to faulty backend operations. Ensure the existence of a strong backend platform before opening for business.

As before, I am going to recommend OS Commerce as the software package that fits with all your requirements to set up a successful eCommerce site.

Increase your Web Presence:

Make a bigger web footprint by managing an ongoing internet marketing campaign.

Make sure your developers are well versed in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).  Don’t be surprised if they’re not!

Many companies offer website design & development, while others simply concentrate on online marketing.  It is preferable to deal with one company who are experts in both, or at least will oversee the whole project, as both are necessary for a successful eCommerce business.

It’s no good having the best looking eCommerce website on the Internet, offering the best prices in the UK, if no one can find your site!

To be successful online, make your eCommerce website visible

Since a large majority of your new customers are going to be introduced to your website via a search engine such as Google or a directory such as Yahoo, you will necessarily need to spend time and money on getting your eCommerce site seen in the major search engines.

It is difficult to break into competitive online markets, but the longer you lave it the harder it becomes. You can either hire a professional internet marketing company to manage this for you or carry out Internet marketing by yourself.

Associate your web site with others providing complimentary products or services

This will again help you in increasing your web presence both for search engines and for your customers.

Don’t let your customers forget your online shop:
It is much easier to market your products and services to satisfied exisitnig customers than it is to market your company to new customers who are not aware how good your business is!

It should be a vital part of your strategy for business growth to keep a record of all your existing customers and others who may have visited your online store but left without buying anything.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is of the utmost importance.  It will help to build your customer base. Develop innovative ways to inform past customers about new products and the latest updates to the eCommerce store. As recommended in my previous post, Better eCommerce Business Success #5,  you can send newsletters to both customers and potential customers who have requested email notification of special offers, new products or services etc.

Some eCommerce solutions include a CRM system but a bespoke CRM system may be more suitable.   To get ahead of your competitors, try different ways of communicating with your customers.  Be sure to keep a record of any campaign results.

Always remember the point I made earlier, it is easier to make money from existing customers than find new ones, so look after your customers and make them feel special.

Push products towards your target audience:
When you walk into a High Street or shopping mall shop you will be faced with sale items, new arrivals and this week’s best sellers. You need to use the same marketing tactics and have your best selling products, new arrivals or those products you wish to sell, visible to all your visitors.

This is called push marketing. It is when you go to a store for one thing and come out with another!
Don’t create an online shop and expecting your customers to browse your eCommerce site in the same way they may walk around your bricks & mortar shop, looking for bargains or whether you sell their size in a particular colour.

The quicker they can find what they are looking for, the stronger the impulse is to buy.

Design your online store in such a way that the customer is left in no doubt what you sell and what your selling points are, whether it be free delivery, tax free or low prices. Your customer may not have been ready to buy, but when they are, you want them to think of you first.

Offering a free newsletter sign-up is a good way of continuing to push your products and services at customers and potential customers alike, while they are not actually on your website.

Place your best products or services, or those you want to promote, on your home page. Make them stand out so visitors to your online shop notice them.

Your online shop needs to be seen & leave a good impression:
Just like window shopping in a local shopping centre, your online eCommerce shop needs to entice people in and help to show them around. Visitors need to find what they are looking for as quickly and easily as possible.

Your website needs to give a great first impression, and leave visitors wanting to return and possibly even telling others to visit the site because of the good experience they have had, whether that be the usability, cool design, available product range, competitive prices or better still, a mixture of all of the above.

The other important thing to consider is that to be successful, your eCommerce website needs to be found. Unless someone knows your website address they are more likely to be introduced to your site via a major search, such as Google, than any other way. It is therefore critical to consider making sure your online shop has been ‘optimised’ to gain the highest ranking possible. This is called Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

You should make sure you know if your eCommerce developers are undertaking SEO as part of the development, or whether you will need an online marketing company to undertake the work once the website goes live.

I have already suggested that OS Commerce is by far the best eCommerce software you can use. It comes with its own awful templates. They do the job but you can spot an OS Commerce template site from the other side of cyber space.

Always use a bespoke design, one that will attract your target audience. It will be more expensive but worth every penny. If visibility is the first rule of having a successful online presence, then a visitors’ first impression must be the second rule.

Your website needs to be professional looking, appealing and attractive to your desired customers. A professional looking, well designed website will give an impression that your website is safe and secure. Not just your website, but more importantly, your company.

Users will feel more obliged to do business with you if your eCommerce store is easy to use, allows the customer to find what they want and feel in-control of their actions. This last point is very important. If the customers feels in control of the situation, they are more likely to proceed and buy your products and services.

Learn more about your customers and create unique branding by using distinct colour combinations, site layout and an innovative and appealing logo.

Get your designer to create an attractive display logo that will help distinguish your eCommerce site from your competition.

Choosing the right developers:
Even if you have programming knowledge and experience I would ALWAYS recommend you work with a good professional web development team, preferably one that comes with a word-of-mouth recommendation. You should be focusing all your energy and time on managing the business, not the website.
Work with a company, not an individual. There is less chance of a highly respected web development company hanging up their boots than there is an individual migrating, being offered a job in the city or getting tired of offering you the support he said he would, and you need, if you are serious about generating a successful online business.

Choosing the right eCommerce software:
There are many eCommerce solutions to choose from and every “expert” will have their own opinion. I believe this is the best independent and impartial advice I can give.

When you are choosing your web developers ask them what eCommerce software is best for you and your business and why. If they say any of the following, I would consider they are thinking of themselves, and not your business:

a) We have built our own eCommerce software
b) We use an off-the-shelf “Shop-in-Box” solution
c) Not sure, this is our first eCommerce site
d) We were hoping you wouldn’t ask
e) What’s eCommerce?

I recommend using OS Commerce (OS stands for Open Source) for the following reasons:

a) It is free to use
b) There is no need for a license
c) It is open source and therefore you are not tied to one particular company such as Microsoft.

OS Commerce is developed in PHP and uses a MySQL database, both of which are industry standard and the most commonly used programming language and database for website development. Therefore, if you become disenchanted with your developers you will have no problem finding someone else who should be able to understand and undertake management and further development of your eCommerce site.

Furthermore, there is a world wide community of web developers who are continually adding new modules and plug-ins for OS Commerce.

Always remember you need the best team and the right software to make your online business a success.

Here is another tip I think will substantially increase your chances of eCommerce business success:

A good business plan

Whether you’re a thinker or a doer, behind all successful business ideas there’s a great business plan.

Your business success will rely heavily on managing your revenue source, knowing where and when to expect your break-even points and most importantly, by making your business plan a rolling plan and not a static one. To create a successful eCommerce business you need a well written business plan. But to continue managing the expected growth of your online success, your business plan needs to show your next 12 months, at all times.

One client I worked with at Buzzin’ Fly a few years ago, came to us after having a real nightmare with their eCommerce developers. After an initial meeting I explained that we would only work with them if they put their ideas into a business plan with time frames attached to their aims and goals. The meeting appeared to end rather abruptly though I was contacted again by the client two or three weeks later and we agreed to move forward as they had written a business plan.

They are now running a very successful online home furniture eCommerce website and agree, not only was the success of their online business due to writing a solid business plan, but also blamed the breakdown of relations with the previous web development company on the lack of focus and vision that only became clear when writing a business plan.

By setting regular aims and goals and monitoring your progress and results at all times, you will always be in control of your business success. Don’t leave anything that matters unchecked. Don’t leave anything down to luck. You will make your own luck by being in the right place at the right time. But that won’t be down to fate, luck or the stars. It will all be down to your business planning and your business growth control.

By being 100% in control of your business you will be more confident of your business success. eCommerce needs a good idea, a solid business plan and the right software and developers.

I will discuss software & developers in Better eCommerce Business Success #3

At Buzzin Fly, one of our mottos is ‘let the designer design and the developers develop.’

It might sound simple, but so many badly designed business websites are so obviously designed by a programmer.  And so many poorly developed websites have been cobbled together by a graphic designer with limited expertise in programming.

The truth is, for a successful business website, you need a professional looking design for a great first impression, a clear and visible menu structure that allows your visitors to find what they are looking for, quickly; and a user-friendly website with accessibility and inclusion for all in mind.

The development of the site is as equally important to the success of your online business.  A good looking website must also deliver the required functionality and offer great user experience.

You have 46 seconds to comply!

A recent survey stated that a visitor will spend an average of just 46 seconds on your website before moving on to the next site. (Source: Clickz.com)

The next website they visit could be one of your competitors, and they could have been your next client.

The current UK economy makes it difficult enough for small businesses to compete and survive, but the competition you will face online is going to be tenfold and so it is imperative that you consider the following advice & tips to guide you towards better online business success for you and your company.

The total number of registered domain names now stands at a staggering 60 million. Some of these domain names are owned by your business competitors. Only a fraction of these sites will have considered the following tips. This is your advantage.

The following series of advice will substantially increase your chances of achieving better eCommerce business success.

Know what your target audience want

Research your target audience, and then understand and consider their requirements. Be careful not to allow your idea of what is right to interfere and overshadow the wishes of your target audience. This may be your business but they are your customers. When people trot out the old saying, customers are always right I say, the customer is NOT always right but as long as the customer pays me, they can think what they want!

The internet is full of good ideas, but like the offline business world, it’s not always the original ideas that make good businesses. It’s the businesses that get the plan right!

Consider the global success of eBay. I remember being contacted by eBay wanting to place adverts on a music website in 1997, when they first opened a UK office eBay. At that time eBay was one of a few websites offering the peer-to-peer trading place concept. Ultimately eBay grew and quashed its competitors because it was easier to use and adapted to its targeted audience.

eCommerce helped eBay create the marketplace website but it was their adaptability, flexibility and end-user focus that ultimately led to their success.

Buzzin’ Fly is a successful website development and internet marketing company based in the UK. WE specialise in eCommerce solutions for small businesses and SME’s in the UK.

I am proud of the work that we do and the testimonials from satisfied customers that we receive.

To find out more go to Buzzin’ Fly.

The growing trend of using mobiles and PDA’s for internet business mobile services means that UK businesses need to reconsider any internet marketing services or campaigns they currently manage or are provided by internet marketing specialists.

To compete with Google & Yahoo, Microsoft have recently launched DeepFish, their own mobile browser which allows users with Windows Mobile phones to use sites that are more like those seen on PCs and laptops.

With more advanced mobile web browsers, offering better rich content viewing, the door for rich content mobile online marketing has been firmly kicked open.

Be sure to consider whether your internet marketing service providers are aware of the possibilities on mobile internet marketing.

Depending which business you are in, your online marketing budget may be best spent promoting your products and services via mobile phones and PDA’s.