Another fantastic Firefox extension. Warning - this is addictive and you will never work again. Hahaha!
StumbleUpon lets you “channelsurf” the best-reviewed sites on the web. It is a collaborative surfing tool for browsing, reviewing and sharing great sites with like-minded people. This helps you find interesting webpages you wouldn’t think to search for.
2. Think before you link
Success in offline ventures is sure to equal success online, right? The answer is no. Some products and services are just not a good fit for Internet sales.
Think objectively about what you have to offer. Are the costs of shipping and handling going to make sale prices too high to entice buyers? Does the item need the touch of a practiced, personal salesperson? Can your prices stand up against the stiff competition online and off? Are the items too delicate or expensive to ship practically?
Giving your products this honest scrutiny can save you a lot a time and expense. Don’t take your business and your money out on a limb.
3. Don’t neglect the real world
Some Internet stores seem to think that all a business needs to pull in online sales is a good shopping cart and secure credit card transactions. Don’t make that mistake yourself. A majority of “online” sales come from a customer accessing a site for information and comparison, then picking up a phone and calling in their order.
It is critical to always include contact information and display it prominently on each page. Give your business solidity by providing its street address and telephone numbers (toll-free is best). Not only will you make it easier for customers to order; you’ll assure them that you’ll be easy to contact for customer service should anything go wrong.
4. Shameless promotion can lead to an embarrassment of riches
You’ve create your online gem of a storefront, stocked it well and made it easy to buy your product. Now all your customers have to do is find you… but the Internet is not the Yellow Pages and the search engines are as likely to send your customers to your competition as they are to you.
You have to lead your customers to your store by the hand and conventional advertising can sometimes make or break an Internet site. Give buyers every opportunity to find your URL in conventional magazine, newspaper or mass media advertising. These days, leaving off your Internet address is like leaving off your phone number. Be sure to print it on any promotional item you offer and include it on your business card and letterhead.
While you’re at it, create a short and professional sig. file (signature file) to display at the end of every email you write. Your email software should have this option under the preferences menu.
5. You may be unique, but you’re not alone
If you’re new to the world of e-commerce, you may feel like a very small fish in a very big pond… a pond filled with sharks. While it’s true that business on the Internet is extremely competitive, it is also true that there are many resources out there to help you along.
Networking on the Net can save you time, money and headaches. For every problem you encounter there are at least ten people who have encountered it before you. Join newsgroups related to your field of commerce, get on mailing lists, and find relevant chat rooms.
Take advantage of the enormous amount of information on the Internet, it could make the difference between success and failure.
6. Once is never enough
Many online ventures spend all their time and resources in attracting new customers and end up offering them little reason to return. But a key to success in business is turning a new customer into a repeat customer. Beyond offering a product for sale, you must create entertaining and captivating content to bring people back to your site.
Interactivity helps. Consider your products - would a monthly newsletter outlining their benefits be helpful to consumers? Can you create feature articles that would enlighten and inform them? Would games or contests be appropriate? How about regular product updates?
Consider the unexpected. Surprising and delighting visitors with your content can separate you from your competition and bring ‘em back for more.
7. An informed customer is a satisfied customer
Even the most well designed site with the hottest products can fail to elicit sales if you don’t give your visitors a clear understanding of what to expect once they order. Instill consumer confidence by spelling out your sales and shipping policy.
Clearly state, in a prominent position, how long it will take for you to deliver the customer’s order. Explain which methods of shipping you use, and how much you charge for shipping and handling. If there are any additional charges, such as sales tax or insurance, let them know up-front.
8. Advertising alphabet soup
Sorting out the advertising acronyms floating around the Internet can be a struggle. Here’s a run-down of the most commonly used pricing structures for banner advertising.
CPM = Cost per thousand impressions (number of times ad gets seen, regardless of action).
CTR= Click through rate (number of times the banner is clicked on).
CPC= Cost per click-through (as above).
CPA= Cost per action (number of times the desired action takes place, as in, survey, registration, download).
CPT= Cost per transaction (cost per lead generated).
CPS= Cost per sale (directly tied to that advertisement).
(Note: PPC does not even exist. Yes …Â? the days when Google wasn’t yet evil.)
There’s plenty of argument over which structure gives an advertiser the best return for their buck. CPM and CTR/CPC are currently the two most popular models. Determining the best method of advertising your product or services can be daunting if you don’t know what you’re expecting from your ads. If it’s name recognition you’re seeking, CPM is a cost-effective model (with prices for banners actually decreasing at this time) for getting your site seen. If it’s response that you want, (adding names to a mailing list, surveying customer opinion) a CTR or CPA model might be more appropriate.
