How to Use the Internet in Your Business

Presented by John Duffield

Why You Need a Web Presence and What are the Options?

John Duffield What I Do …What I Do …

• Business Performance Improvement.

• Website Design• SEO• Digital Marketing• iPad Apps

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AustralianStatistics

• Around 6.7 million (37.9% of all Australians) bought a product or service online in the last 12 months.

• They spent a total of $25 billion.

• Online sales are expected to grow 12% annually by 2014.

• This is faster than sales from traditional stores.

• Research also shows half of Australian shoppers are going online before they go into a shop.

Source: Australian Interactive Media Industry Association

Get on the Web!

• Get the Internet working for you today

• The Internet sells and sells big…

• Or use your website to create demand for your services…

Some reasons for going online …

1. How can the Internet help my business?

• A presence, an image a market position .

• A favourable perception.• Why people use the internet?• No boundaries …

What a Website Can Do For You

• A presence, an image and a market position.

• Regardless of what your competitors are doing.

• More and more business is being transacted over the Internet.

Having a Website …

• Favourable perception from prospects and customers.

• A place to send people to.

• May just make the difference.

• Marketing is perception.

• Image is everything.

The Benefits of Having a Website

• No geographic limitation.

• Unlimited earning potential.

• Easily started and managed.

• 24/7 selling potential.

• Attract your required demographic.

• Tap into social media.

Domain names, hosting, website design ...

2. What do I need to do to get a website?

• What is a domain name?• What is webhosting?• How do I get a website designed?• What else do I need to know?

What is a Domain Name?/1

• An address of a website on the Internet.

• Tells people exactly where to find you on the Internet.

• You must register your domain name.

• Purchased from a domain name registrar.

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What is a Domain Name?/2

• Look for a domain name that is your business.

• Look for associated names.

• Search for preferred names.

• Shop around for best deals.

• The .com or .com.au debate.

What is Web Hosting?

• A service to provide space on the web for your site.

• Permanently connected to the web via servers.

• IP numbers assigned.

• Enables your web site to be seen on the web.

Web Hosting Providers

• Smartyhost

• Hostgator

• GoDaddy

• Bluehost

• Webalive

• What to look for …

• Speed is everything!

How Do I Get a Website Designed?

• Do it yourself

• Site builders

• Wordpress, Joomla etc…

• Pay a web designer

What Else Do I Need to Know?

• Content

• Links

• SEO

• Demand creation

• You Tube

• Social media

• Alexa

• Google…

Google

• Search engine

• Gmail

• Translate

• Tools

• Analytics

• Webmaster Tools

Web Site Content

• Relevant and fresh

• Interesting

• Easy to navigate• 3-click rule

• Write for web surfers

• Keywords…• “Exact”• Broad Match• Phrase Match

Web Site Links

• Backlinks

• Inbound links

• Google and links

• Vote from other sites

• Page rank

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

• What is SEO?

• Black/white hat SEO

• Ongoing process

• Organic vs. Pay per click

• Other paid options

• Keyword % mix (3%-5%)

Traffic Creation

• Find your niche

• Web site statistics

• Keywords - “Exact”• Links

• Social media

• You tube

• Pinterest

You Tube/1

• 2nd largest search engine

• Owned by Google

• Adds believable content

• Ability to optimise videos

• Email and embed videos

• Easy to create

Only 10% of You Only 10% of You Tube Videos get Tube Videos get more than 1,500 more than 1,500

viewsviews

You Tube/2

• Tag your videos

• Annotate

• Set up a channel

• Links back to your site

• How to videosSome videosSome videos

Go VIRAL!Go VIRAL!

UMACS UMACS VideosVideos

Gideon Gideon ShalwickShalwick

Social Media

• Linkedin

• Twitter

• Pinterest

• RSS feeds

• Facebook

Backlinks to your site, announcements etc.

Presence, Content, Links, Demand...

3. How can I use the Internet to grow my

business?

Business Growth

• Niche market ...

• Demand creation ...

• Social media ...

• Web 2.0 ...

• Market your site ...

Lead Generation System?/1

• Online Lead Generation is a marketing term that refers to the creation or generation of prospective consumer interest or inquiry into a business' products or services online. Leads can be generated for a variety of purposes - list building, e-newsletter list acquisition, building out reward programs, loyalty programs or for other member acquisition programs.Source: Wikipedia.com

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Lead Generation System?/2

• Drive traffic

• Create demand

• Create opportunities

• Convert opportunities

• Clicks per conversion ratio?

Research/1

• The first step is to have an idea of what your customers are looking for.

• Google offers a free keyword tool that gives users an indication of the search terms that generate the most traffic.

• Google Keyword Tool

Research/2

• Grab the attention of "scanners" by changing the formatting and appearance of your copy.

• Very few visitors to your site will read every word of your sales copy from start to finish.

• Most will "scan" your copy as they scroll down the page, reading only certain words and phrases that jump out at them or catch their eye.

• 300 – 500 (max) words per page

Google Tip

• Set up Google alerts

• For:• Your business name• Your keywords• Trigger words• Your name?

• Google Alerts

How Do I Set-Up a LG System?/1

• What are you selling?

• Physical goods?

• Digital goods?

• Information?

• Membership?

How Do I Set-Up a LG System?/2

• Completed website?

• Minimum 5 pages …

• Splash page?

• Webpage promoting the products

• Social media + icons

• Inbound links

What Do I Need to Put in Place?/2

• Selling page (splash page)• Shopping cart• 3rd party shopping cart

• Merchant account• Payment gateway• SSL Certification• Product listing and images• Shipping process• Drop shipping

Merchant Account

• Merchant account is a bank authorised account which allows you to accept major credit cards.

• Note though that rates banks will charge you are higher if you are operating an online store because the "card is not present"

Payment Gateway

• Payment Gateway is a software which actually processes customer order information, address, credit card number.

• The data is sent to a credit card authorisation network which verifies that the credit card is valid and verifies that the shipping address matches the billing address.

• St George Bank

How Much Does it Cost?

• Shopping cart fees

• Gateway fees

• Merchant account fees

• Other considerations ...• Fraud protection• SSL Certification

On a Budget?

• PayPal• Use buy now buttons• Cut-off dollar value around

$3,500

Open Source Cart Options?

• Zen Cart

• OS Commerce

Where Might Other Leads Come From?

• Forums

• Article marketing

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Google Adwords

• Directory listings

• Blog posts…

Interesting Facts…

• 77%77% of Internet users now read blogs as a primary source of news and education…

• And each month, over 6 billion hours 6 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube…

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Give them a compelling reason to visit your web site …

4. Why should potential customers visit my

website?

• Why will they come to my site?• What must I have in place?• Should I offer discounts to entice

them?• Will they come back again?

Why Will They Come to My Site?/1

• When a visitor lands on a page on your website they need to know within seconds whether that page is relevant to them.

• The copy (or writing) that appears on the page plays an enormous part in this process.

What Must I Have in Place?/1

• The look and feel of a site can have a considerable impact on conversions.

• A simple tweak to what’s in it for the visitor can be enough to tip them into making a transaction or signing up for a newsletter.

What Must I Have in Place?/2

• Trust plays a crucial part in converting visitors to customers, particularly for new businesses.

• This is where videos are priceless!!!

What Must I Have in Place?/3

• Having established presences on social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook not only works to boost your brand image, they can also greatly help to convince prospective customers you’re a real business worthy of their transactional trust.

• Work to build fans, followers and connections, and make an effort to communicate with them.

• Advertising on Facebook!

Should I Offer Discounts?

• Introductory offers

• Package up the offer

• Coupon offers

• Seasonal/Non-Seasonal

• Retail sales principles

Will They Come Back Again?

• Give them a reason to

• Referrals

• WOM

• Loyalty program

• Coupons

• Get them on your list

Put the whole thing on auto-pilot...

5. How can I automate the sales lead

process?

• Why should I do this?• Where to start?• Opportunities?• Tools?• Digital products example

Where to Start?

• The first step to the automated online sales process is to get your site’s visitors on your email list. Mailchimp.com

• Your list will become the biggest asset you have, so this step is critical to your success.

Next Step?

• The next step in the process is to decide what you will send out once a person subscribes to your list.

• Obviously you will be sending a welcome email with a link to the free product you promised.

• But then what? • One of the greatest tools in the

email marketing toolbox is the sequential auto responder.

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Have a List?… = Opportunities!

• Now you have a captive market

• More than 70% of sales

• Keep them up to date

• New products

• Sneak peek launches

• Advance sales opportunities

• Survey them, ask questions

• You have a captive audience

• Seize the opportunity!

Digital Products Example

• Link to 3rd party site

• No merchant or gateway fees

• Only % sale or set fee per month

• Link from site

Questions?Questions?

http://small-business-world.com/contact/