Internet Strategies For Service Businesses.

For the most part writings about business strategies for e-commerce tends to focus on the retailer. There is, however, a whole range of service business that can do well fully on the Internet or with an Internet component to their business plan. If you own a small service business here are some e-commerce strategies that can be integrated into your existing real-world business or form the basis of a solely online approach. They are designed to increase your identity and brand both in your own local service area and to open the world of potential clients to you through the Internet. Whether your business plan is a formal document, or just ideas carried in your head, these concepts will easily integrate with your current situation and, for most, will give you a giant step forward.

1. For any plan to be successful you need to determine your objectives at the outset. What are you trying to accomplish? Who are you trying to reach? Are you interested in selling services, products, or both? Do you wish to expand your business through existing clients? Are you expecting to reach out to new markets?

2. The next step is to look at your present resources and the things that will be required in order to make your objectives a reality. What do you currently offer that applies to this new plan? What new skills will you require? Who can you involve to help you with this? Will you need new employees? Will you or your employees require training? How much can you currently afford to spend on this moving forward? What additional funds will be needed? Where will those funds come from?

3. Many successful business owners and sales people, both online and off, use a market funnel or hopper. I like to think of it as a bucket with a wide opening at the top and a narrow outlet at the bottom. You gather potential clients or customers into the open mouth of the bucket, through various marketing approaches and promotions including contacts, advertising, presentations, cold-calling, sales and low-price offers, and free give-aways. Once you have clients in your bucket you can focus more particularly on them moving them towards the initial sale or through increasing price and service points. Examine your current product and/or service lines and see how they fit the market funnel concept. Can they be organized to suit a flow from lower priced introductory points to increased multi- or full-service offerings? What new offerings do you need to fill gaps in the flow of this process?

4. Thoroughly examine your competition is an aspect of marketing that many business managers overlook -- and often at their peril. Understanding what your competitors are doing and, especially, where you stand among their offerings, is a most useful too to help you develop, and strengthen, an effective marketing message. Use online tools like search engines and, off-line tools like Yellow Pages and business directories, to find who your competitors really are. See what they offer. And what you don't. What will you need to add to fill any gaps in your line-up? If you can, find their prices. How do you stack up? But remember, lowest price isn't necessarily your goal. What you offer, and how you put it all together, is often more important than price. And don't forget the old adage, "Sell the sizzle, not the steak!"

5. Choosing your target market is important. You can use the shotgun approach, trying to offer everything to everyone, or you can find your own clearly defined target market that you will be able to best serve. Take time to think this through carefully. Be clear. Describe your market in detail. Who is it? Where are they? How can they be reached? Why will they want your product or service? Can they afford you? How do these people look for your business? How will they likely find you? People buy things or hire services in order to fill a need or get something done. They have a problem. You must be the solution. You need to develop your solution to match your target market. What unique features, functions, or services match your solution directly to your target market's problems?

6. Identity and brand are important to your business success. Sometimes the simplest things work the best. Consider these:

Of course they are national icons, and they have been around a long time, both of which are important but, even more so, is that they are simple, direct, not confusing, and easily recognizable. Sometimes, when trying to create a logo, people seem to want to create a billboard. That isn't necessary. Find what works for you with the minimum input. Note that none of the above example use words. Oh, sure, they often have words associated with them, but even without the words they say what they are. Apple, Red Cross and Shell are obvious. It would be great if you can find one as basic and direct for your business. But McDonald's and Nike are recognizable because of their regular, long term, association with the company and product. When it comes to brand consistency over time is important. Think about these things when you choose your business name and/or your domain name, and other aspects of your public face. Decide on your identity/brand and then use it. Everywhere!

7. The experts all tell you that your website should be visually appealing, have a single focus, and stick to a basic, often primary, color scheme, and an easy-to-navigate structure. Both your layout and content should focus and develop the primary theme and lead to a solution to your visitors problem. This is how you convert visitors to customers! Don't expect, or rely on, your website designer to create your content. He can't know all the ins and outs of your business. But sometimes you don't either. Look for a designer who is also a small business consultant or, perhaps, hire a team who can provide design and content input. And don't just list basic points about of your product or service. Detail the features, list the benefits to your client, and show how your product or service will help solve your customer's problem. It may surprise you but the truth is people rarely buy features; they purchase benefits!

8. Most over-looked in business is asking for the sale. Business people often spend a lot of effort explaining their products and services but then fail to present a clear call to action. Show this clearly on every page of your website and in all of newsletter, ezine, or other promotional material or perhaps a free course or special report, visual presentation, or e-book. Provide a number of articles, posts, downloads. Offer free giveaways and contests. Answer your customers questions. The most important one is always, "What's in it for me?". Remember, your website is about the visitor, not about you!

9, There is a wealth of material, information, and technology available on the Internet to support you in your efforts. Much of it is available free or for very minimal cost. From payment systems like Google Checkout and PayPal to full-function payment gateways, shopping carts, and e-commerce websites, you will be able to build your own business presence. But it doesn't stop there. Traffic development and tracking systems like Google Adwords and Analytics, and numerous site testing and SEO development websites and applications will help you along the way. Auto-responders and newsletter servers allow you to reach out to the potential customers in your bucket. Article submission and press release sites help you get your story out there. And blogging is turning out to be the number one social media process for small businesses online. Do you blog? You can buy ads, keywords, pay-per-click links, and focus on SEO for your website. Audio and video files add sound and visual components to your presentation. Teleconferencing and web-casts put you in front of the world. YOU now have global reach from the chair in front of your computer.

10. You may not able to do this all alone. Many successful business owners know they shouldn't even try. You need to build a team of experts that know what they are doing in each of their own fields so youc can focus on the things you do best. If you need a website don't waste time and effort figuring out how to build one. Hire it done. Don't struggle with a graphics program yourself. Get a professional designer to create your logo. It doesn't have to be expensive. But it should be good. Sometimes it's worth hiring writers, editors, proof readers, a bookkeeper, business manager, lawyer, and others. Also consider the advice you can get for free from your banker, business associates, and online forums. But consider the source. They might mean well, but they aren't responsible for your business, nor will they suffer the loss if it fails! Do consider a mentor, generalist, or e-commerce consultant. The money you spend for their time and expertise can pay dividends over time.

These ten points give you a good beginning to develop a successful online marketing effort for your business. Whether you are developing a new business, taking an existing business online, or expanding your current e-commerce business these are all good things to consider and apply. For them to work, however, you must put them into practice.