volusion's ecommerce bootcamp - wwdmagic 2013
DESCRIPTION
Looking to sell your products online? It's time to launch your very own ecommerce site. Check out this presentation delivered at WWDMAGIC 2013 in Las Vegas for a crash course in all things online business. Enjoy!TRANSCRIPT
VOLUSION’s Ecommerce bOOTCAMP Boot CAMP
FEEL THE BURN IN 60 MINUTES
Howdy, y’all!
Matt Winn Marketing Communications Manager, Volusion
• Chief Blogger: The Ecommerce Authority• Join me on YouTube every Tuesday• Aspiring cook, certified nerd• Small-town Texan
Who’s with us?
You have
somethin
g to sell
online
You have an offline business, but want to get online You’re already
online, but want to sell more
Today’s training schedule
Basic training
Ecommerce circuit
Cooldown & Q&A
1) Secure your inventory
2) Decide on a solution
3) Select a domain name
4) Build your ecommerce site
5) Pick a payment option
6) Protect your store
Basic TrainingGetting Started in Ecommerce
• Open Source - built from scratch, total control
• Hosted - updates, security, hosting
1) Secure your inventory
2) Decide on a solution
• Work with something you’re passionate about
• Self-created or from a third party
• Drop-shipping
• Warehouses
• Determine your pricing strategy
• Create categories and upload products
• Move on to information pages to complete the site
• Consider design and branding every step of the way
• Pick a name that is short and easy to remember
• Find a web address that is descriptive of your business
• Decide between .com, .net or .biz
3) Select a domain name
4) Build your ecommerce site
• Use PayPal at a minimum
• Research and apply for credit card processing
• Decide on using a personal or business bank account
• Purchase an SSL certificate
• Learn the signs of fraudulent orders
• Achieve PCI compliance or certification
5) Determine how you’ll get paid
6) Protect your store
Today’s training schedule
Basic training
Ecommerce circuit
Cooldown & Q&A
75% a
of web users make judgments on the credibility of a company based on its site design
Exercise 1: Ecommerce Design & UX
Q: Why is site design so important?A: CREDIBILITY
68% a
of US online shoppers agree that they will distrust a site that has an unprofessional appearance
Make your homepage count
Branded
Search
Customer Service
Easy to navigate
Good use of real estate
Clear CTA
Sell with your product pages
Beautiful product photography
Alternate views Ideal product description
• Benefit-oriented• Well-written• Easily digestible• SEO friendly• Speaks to customers
Product options:• Color swatch• Drop-down menu
Sharing options
Don’t forget these 5 things…
1. First impressions really, really count
2. Without a brand, you have no web design
3. Usability is key: your website is the shepherd
4. Design is the most important marketing investment
5. You get what you pay for
Exercise 2: Marketing your store
Q: Why is marketing especially important for ecommerce?A: CLUTTER
Registered domains in the US alone
Internet users around the world
130,859,083
2.4 Billion
Different Types of Internet Marketing
It’s all about finding the right mix:
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Pay per Click Advertising (PPC)
• Social Media Marketing
• Email Marketing
Figure out what keywords to target:• Brainstorm as many ideas as possible• Look at what your competitors are doing• Pick out which keywords you want to pursue
Turn your findings into action:• Optimize pages and link build for popular keywords• Create content geared towards less obvious keywords• Focus your SEO efforts in specific parts of your site
Get started with SEO, now
SEO has one secret: GOOD CONTENT!
Exercise 3: Delivering Exceptional Customer Service
Q: Why is customer service so important to ecommerce?A: RETENTION
Acquiring a new customer can cost 6 to 7 times more than retaining an existing customer (Frederick Reichheld, Bain & Company)
Of customers are willing to pay more than the standard price, if a great customer experience is involved (RightNow)
7X
85%
Work to increase customer retentionCustomer service is the new marketing
Some ideas to help you get started:
• Remember that customer service is unique to your business
• Find problem areas via customer surveys and CRM analysis
• Under promise, over deliver
• Provide special deals to keep customers coming back for more
Exercise 4: Expanding through social commerce
Q: Why is social commerce important?A: REACH
Grow your social presence
Know why people follow your brand:
1. To receive discounts and promotions
2. To show others they like your brand
3. To receive access to exclusive information
4. To get updates and news about the company
Today’s training schedule
Basic training
Ecommerce circuit
Cooldown & Q&A
1. Be patient, work steadily
2. Don’t overcommit yourself
3. Celebrate your wins
4. Sales won’t happen overnight
5. Focus on your product and your customers
6. Have fun and keep your eye on the prize
Oprah Moment: 6 Pieces of Humble Advice
Want more? Of course you do!
facebook.com/volusion
@volusion
onlinebusiness.volusion.com
youtube.com/volusion
VOLUSION Ecommerce
Boot CAMPCool Down – Q&A