What you will learn “How to go online and be successful” The Landscape The Website Getting Found Managing Your Customers Automation

Overview Opportunity

Customers What are your customers doing online? Where do your customers gather? Times have changed Buy in different places and ways Online is the new way of doing business Page 4-5, 10-12

What consumers do online Source: Australia in the Digital Economy – Consumer Engagement in E-Commerce, November 2010www.acma.gov.au

Ways Business Use the Internet It is a Platform for doing business Attract & Retain Customers Make Sales Run their business Ability to mobilise themselves, create freedom and choices in running their business

What businesses do online Source: www.abs.gov.au

Benefits for business to be online Cost saving & efficiencies eg. cloud computing Access to larger customer base Flexible business model Not being geographically bound Offer more services / products to marketplace Access suppliers and other business networks Metrics that are available Trackability Page 7

Business Goals What are you trying to achieve? Set goals eg. Grow sales, sell business, attract skilled staff, increase client retention Your choices in your online strategy need to be in-line with your business goals Page 8

Success Factors Having a Strategy Making the right decision on DIY vs Outsource Being Found Having an ability to sell online Identify efficiencies through online tools Understanding trends and skills Good partnerships / team eg. suppliers Page 31

Risks Viruses & Malware Security Policies & Documentations DIY without the appropriate skills Cheap solutions Under resourced, trying to do to much Lack of strategy, focus, following fads Page 66-69

Source: Design Experts Options

Setting up the technology Internet Page 13Page 13-18

Website Page 19-29

Domain Name What is a domain Name How to Register What you need (eg. ABN) Activity: What does.com.au,.com,.org au stand for? What is the url used for British businesses? Page 21-24

Your Address Do = Don’t = Synchronisation Options

Hosting Source: Design Experts

Hosting Tips - Backups - Protection from viruses & hacking - Minimal server downtime - Ongoing Support and Maintenance Page 28

Website Architecture Develop a sitemap “the navigation” - HOME, ABOUT US, SERVICES, GALLERY, CONTACT Write Content - Compelling - Relevant to your customers Page 36

Content Management System CMS make it easy for you to edit the content on a website Designed to update content, not build yourself Platforms - Joomla, WordPress, Business Catalyst Page 25

Analytics Identify what to measure “goal setting” Measurements - Where people came from - Which Pages - How long they stayed on the website Get Google Analytics Installed Get help if required Page 27

Source: Wikipedia

Getting Found

Search Engine Optimisation 80% of websites are found in Search Engines 87% don’t look on the first page First 3 links get the most clicks Page 32

How Search Engines Work Page 33 Website Links Meta tags Titles Content Website Search engine Database Index Links Meta tags Titles Content Words in: Locates Crawls Produces Visits Launches Sends hierarchy of results Searches keywords Algorithm

SEO Techniques Indentify keywords Content Creation & Update On your webpage - Meta tags, Page titles, keyword links, content Off your webpage - Social Media DIY vs Outsource Measurements Activity Keyword Research Page

Why participate in Social Media Your customers are spending time here Could be missing opportunity Only do if you are strategic “Why, can waste time” Understand where your customers are and what they want Page 50-63

What role can Social Media play? Sales & Marketing Channel Customer Support Information Source Market Research

Social Media Platforms Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Youtube Pinterest Page 52-60

Internet Advertising Options - Google Adwords - Facebook Advertising - Yellowpage - Portal Advertising Targeted / Niche Trackable / Monitor Page 64-65

Managing Customers

Customer Database Customer Relationship Manage Systems (CMS) Customer Segmentation / Profiling Capturing clean customer data A way to keep in touch Maintenance Page 48-49

Marketing CRM is the backbone to Marketing Highly effective is done right Frequency and relevancy Building relationships Must ensure your SPAM compliant Maintenance Reporting Customer Profiling Page 44,46,47

Automation

Online Business Tool eCommerce “Accepting Payments Online” Online Learning Cloud Technologies Outsourcing services (eLance, Virtual PA) Page 13-18

Small Business in the Cloud

Next Steps Develop a Strategy - Define your Business Goals - Identify your resources Attend the next workshop - Building Your Online Strategy - Business Planning - Marketing Action

Small Business Mentoring Service Business mentors help you to identify a clear direction for you and your business. Business mentors can also advise you on how to: conduct market research price and/or cost your products or services develop an effective marketing strategy use other business management tools To arrange a session with a business mentor go to:

Questions? Thank you for attending Check out business.vic.gov.au/workshops for more workshop information