go online a start up guide for business seminar
DESCRIPTION
Resources from Business Victoria's seminar on the basics of starting out online including: setting up a website, using social media, e-business basics and how to find and communicate with your customers online.TRANSCRIPT
What you will learn
• “How to go online and be successful”• The Landscape• The Website• Getting Found• Managing Your Customers• Automation
Overview
• Opportunity
Customers
• What are your customers doing online?• Where do your customers gather?• Times have changed• Buy in different places and ways• Online is the new way of doing business
Page 4-5, 10-12
What consumers do online
Source: www.acma.gov.au, Australia in the Digital Economy – Consumer Engagement in E-Commerce, November 2010
Ways Business Use the Internet
• It is a Platform for doing business• Attract & Retain Customers• Make Sales• Run their business• Ability to mobilise themselves, create freedom
and choices in running their business
Benefits for business to be online
• Cost saving & efficiencies eg. cloud computing• Access to larger customer base• Flexible business model• Not being geographically bound• Offer more services / products to marketplace• Access suppliers and other business networks• Metrics that are available Trackability
Page 7
Business Goals
• What are you trying to achieve?• Set goals eg. Grow sales, sell business, attract
skilled staff, increase client retention• Your choices in your online strategy need to be
in-line with your business goals
Page 8
Success Factors
• Having a Strategy• Making the right decision on DIY vs Outsource• Being Found• Having an ability to sell online• Identify efficiencies through online tools• Understanding trends and skills• Good partnerships / team eg. suppliers
Page 31
Risks
• Viruses & Malware• Security• Policies & Documentations• DIY without the appropriate skills• Cheap solutions• Under resourced, trying to do to much• Lack of strategy, focus, following fads
Page 66-69
Source: Design Experts
Options
Setting up the technology
Internet
Page 13Page 13-18
Website
Page 19-29
Domain Name
• What is a domain Name• How to Register• What you need (eg. ABN)
Activity: What does .com.au, .com, .org au stand for?
What is the url used for British businesses?
Page 21-24
Hosting
Source: Design Experts
Hosting
• Tips - Backups
- Protection from viruses & hacking
- Minimal server downtime
- Ongoing Support and Maintenance
Page 28
Website Architecture
• Develop a sitemap “the navigation”
- HOME, ABOUT US, SERVICES, GALLERY, CONTACT
• Write Content
- Compelling
- Relevant to your customers
Page 36
Content Management System
• CMS make it easy for you to edit the content on a website
• Designed to update content, not build yourself• Platforms - Joomla, WordPress, Business Catalyst
Page 25
Analytics
• Identify what to measure “goal setting”• Measurements - Where people came from
- Which Pages
- How long they stayed on the website
• Get Google Analytics Installed• Get help if required
Page 27
Source: Wikipedia
Getting Found
Search Engine Optimisation
• 80% of websites are found in Search Engines• 87% don’t look beyond the first page• First 3 links get the most clicks
Page 32
How Search Engines Work
Page 33
Website
Website
Website
Website
Links
Meta tags
Titles
ContentWebsite
Search engine
DatabaseIndex
Links
Meta tags
Titles
Content
Words in:
Locates
Crawls
Produces
Visits
Launches
Sends hierarchy of results
Searches keywords
Algorithm
SEO Techniques
• Indentify keywords
• Content Creation & Update
• On your webpage
- Meta tags, Page titles, keyword links, content
• Off your webpage - Social Media
• DIY vs Outsource
• Measurements
Activity Keyword Research Page 34 - 40
Why participate in Social Media
• Your customers are spending time here• Could be missing opportunity• Only do if you are strategic “Why, can waste
time”• Understand where your customers are and what
they want
Page 50-63
What role can Social Media play?
• Sales & Marketing Channel• Customer Support• Information Source• Market Research
Social Media Platforms
• Facebook• Twitter• LinkedIn• Google+• Youtube• Pinterest
Page 52-60
Internet Advertising
• Options - Google Adwords
- Facebook Advertising
- Yellowpage
- Portal Advertising
• Targeted / Niche• Trackable / Monitor
Page 64-65
Managing Customers
Customer Database
• Customer Relationship Manage Systems (CMS)• Customer Segmentation / Profiling• Capturing clean customer data• A way to keep in touch• Maintenance
Page 48-49
eMail Marketing
• CRM is the backbone to eMail Marketing• Highly effective is done right• Frequency and relevancy• Building relationships• Must ensure your SPAM compliant• Maintenance• Reporting• Customer Profiling
Page 44,46,47
Automation
Online Business Tool
• eCommerce “Accepting Payments Online”• Online Learning• Cloud Technologies• Outsourcing services (eLance, Virtual PA)
Page 13-18
Small Business in the Cloud
yourbusinesswebsite.com
Next Steps
• Develop a Strategy - Define your Business Goals
- Identify your resources
• Attend the next workshop - Building Your Online Strategy
- Business Planning
- Marketing
• Action
Small Business Mentoring Service
Business mentors help you to identify a clear direction for you and your business.
Business mentors can also advise you on how to:
conduct market research
price and/or cost your products or services
develop an effective marketing strategy
use other business management tools
To arrange a session with a business mentor go to:
www.sbms.org.au
Questions?
Thank you for attending
Check outbusiness.vic.gov.au/workshops
for more workshop information