Five steps to moving your business online 01 June 2005
Be it an electronic storefront or a fully functional virtual shop - taking your business online is something every business has to consider at some point. For most, the task seems enormous, but the reality is - all that's required to set up shop on the web is a good solid understanding of what you want to do and an step by step process of doing it. Here are our top five things you will need to do when taking your business online.
Get a plan together
Remember that the web has an unlimited reach and so getting online will not only increase the amount of customers but it will increase the list of competitors. So take time to understand what you are selling, who you are selling to and how you are going to sell it.
Choose and register a domain name
When it comes to domain names - keep it simple. It needs to be a name people can remember, so it's best to stick with your company name or the type of product you are selling. Once you've chosen your domain name, you need to register it with a company who is licensed to act as an agent - this way you own that particular name for a period of time.
Design your site
You can either design your site yourself or get a provider to do it. These days there are a lot of easy-to-use software packages that make this an effortless task. But whichever option you choose, remember to consider the type of product you are selling, the look and feel of the site, navigation, forms of payment and how you are going to provide customer service. Click here to read our top tips on web design.
Host your web site
There are two ways of hosting a web site - in-house with your own servers, or externally via a service provider. You need to take your time and find a company that offers you a package that will not only take you online but also help you keep your business growing. You can save time by hosting your site with the same company you've registered your domain with.
Establish payment options
Finally, you aren't really a store till you offer your customers the ability to pay online. Most ISPs offer e-commerce (electronic commerce) solutions that require little work on your part to sell online. Alternatively, you can go through your bank to set up secure payment or explore downloadable software that enables easy payment. To get an idea of what's available, visit other e-commerce sites and see what they are using.
In conclusion, the key to making your online store work is by making sure you are giving your customers what they want. So keep doing research, track the number of visitors you get and keep improving your site and you soon start reaping the benefits of being an online business.
