The success factors applying directly to
ecommerce are multifaceted, but can be refined
into eight jewels for e-business assuming you
have a product or service that people want/need.
1) Attractive, easy to navigate web site.
Don't "do-it-yourself" unless you are very good
with design! Web savvy surfers may accept a
do-it-yourself look with canned graphics and
static pages from hobby sites, but never from a
business site. Professional logos, graphics and
high quality web specific writing are expected
of any real business online, as well as quick
load times and consistent, understandable
navigation.
2) Crystal clear communication of your
benefits.
You must communicate to your visitor immediate,
concise benefits of doing business with you. If
they are confused by your web site and don't
understand what it is you offer them, they are
gone in less than thirty seconds. Can you make
their life easier? Can you make them happier,
more productive or successful? Tell them on the
first screen-full. Quick, stop them before they
click!
3) Build customer relations with newsletters,
forums, frequent buyer reward programs, special
discounts or referral rewards for existing
clients/customers.
What can you offer them that makes your site one
they care about? Most web sites offer "something
for nothing" in the form of content. That is
CONTENT related to your business. That is why so
many sites provide articles, advice, e-books,
software downloads and other related goodies.
You will never achieve online success if you
offer no understandable perks.
4) Multiple forms of online, immediate
payment options.
Accept credit cards, check by fax or online
checks, approval methods in real-time while the
customer is at your site and ready to buy. The
most common way to lose a buyer is to make them
fill out and print a form to be mailed in. You
must accept payment online. They'll want it NOW,
or not at all.
5) Search engine optimization and submission.
Showing up in the top 50 results for your search
phrase keywords is the only way to attract
significant traffic to your site outside of
spending substantial sums advertising, marketing
and promotional efforts. Optimization software
is available for effective optimization help.
Or, You could pay a professional to optimize
your web site for you:
http://www.pro-desk.com
6) Effective online marketing and promotion.
This includes getting other complimentary sites
to link to your site and is a standard marketing
task online. As much as half of your web
visitors may find you through links at other web
sites. This is definitely NOT through
Free-For-All (FFA) links pages, but
"recommended" links from other site owners at
high traffic web sites.
Use a "signature line" on your e-mails and
regularly visit online chats, forums and
bulletin boards with useful comments questions
or advice in your area of expertise, this earns
you respect and makes people aware of your
services.
7) Immediate response and follow-up to e-mail
contact.
The immediacy of the web makes people expect
quick responses to all queries. If they can't
find the answer at your FAQ (Frequently Asked
Questions) page, you must be prepared to answer
e-mail queries within 24 hours or less.
8) Networking and Joint Venture relationships
with complimentary online businesses.
Take a look at online business sites for the
"Our Partners" link. You will see that most
effective businesses work with other online
companies that can offer complimentary services
or products. This is common practice on the web.
The above are far from complete, but each are
very important factors critical to e-business
success
