So, you want to take your business online, do you? Yet, you are, as we say in the south, standing there “like a calf looking at a new gate.” You know you probably ought to go through it, but you’re not sure what you’ll find when you get on the other side.
Here, let me help you across. . .
First, you really need to ask yourself two key questions: 1) Why do I want to take my business online? and 2) What do I want to do with it once I’ve started?
The first question is a philosophical one. It deals with your underlying motives. If you don’t know why you’re doing something, then why do it? I know a great many people who just had to have a website for their business, but they could not tell you why. Just because everyone else was doing it, I guess. Know the why first.
The second question is certainly more pragmatic. It deals with your business goals and aspirations. What is it you hope to accomplish with a web presence? Do you want to use it simply as an online brochure, so to speak? Do you want to sell products, give advice, or network with others in your industry? Knowing the what will guide your decisions regarding the practical aspects of developing a web presence.
In regard to the second question, there are three primary avenues your web presence can take. (There are more I know, but these are the first three that come to mind. Plus, I’ve got them alliterated, all starting with the letter ‘C’.)
The first is Content. The web is all about sharing information. When you go to Google or some other search engine, you go there looking for information. Maybe it’s the latest news about the middle-east crisis, or maybe you’re looking for a great recipe, or advice on relationships, or whatever. . .the web has become the medium du jour for information sharing.
The second is Commerce, transacting business. Whether it’s as simple as creating an online brochure to promote your product or service, or a fully-integrated shopping cart where you sell hundreds of products, the web is the world’s greatest “bazaar” for buying and selling. Can you say “Amazon.com” or “Ebay?”
The third venue is Community. I used to serve as a moderator for Tripod.com years ago in one of their online communities. I got to interact with others who had the same passion for that given topic as I did. I would send a weekly email newsletter to the community, interact in scheduled (and impromtu) chat sessions, post to message boards, etc. It was great fun.
Now, your web presence can incorporate all of these avenues, though I suggest you focus on one main one, then use one or both of the others to compliment.
For example, if your desire is to set up an online store to sell your products (Commerce), I would advise you to also create an opt-in mailing list for people interested in learning more about your products/services (Community). Set up a blog as a vehicle for sharing your knowledge on the topic (Community, Content), or post feature articles about your industry or the products you sell (Content).
Once you know why you want to take your business online and what your goals are, you’ll know which avenue to take. That will aid you in determining what your web presence will look like, the technology tools you’ll need, and the budget required to fund this new enterprise.
Paul Chaney is the owner of Radiant Marketing Group, a web design and marketing agency geared to meeting the needs of small business. He has been involved web design and marketing since 1997. Currently, he spends most of his time blogging about Internet marketing.
