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How To Launch An Ecommerce Business
By Roberto Bell
Devising a business plan is as important for an Online venture as for any other business. The Web as a business domain seems to have ‘idiot-proof, simple to use, impossible to fail’ written all over it and because it involves lots of imagery, shorter, punchier content and unlimited access to the entire world many newcomers to the world of ecommerce think that it’s child’s play and that the traditional ‘stodgy’ tenets of business start-up can be thrown out the window.
Do not be misled – for any business to succeed – whatever the domain – careful planning and thorough research is required. Hoping to get by on a good idea and luck alone won’t cut it in the highly competitive world of eCommerce – not if you wish to stand above the crowd and survive the fierce competition.
A good business plan for an eBusiness should include the following:
A Technology Audit
Wikipedia explains this as the evaluation of the system’s efficacy and security protocols.
The following questions need to be asked:
* Will the organization’s computer systems be available for the business at all times when required? (Availability)
* Will the information in the systems be disclosed only to authorized users? (Confidentiality)
* Will the information provided by the system always be accurate, reliable, and timely? (Integrity)
(source: Wikipedia.com)
Thorough Research into the Competition
The accessibility of the Internet means that you have the potential to reach a large target audience, but it also means your competition could be massive. To make sure you have something different to offer, a unique selling point or product, or something that makes you stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to see who else is peddling similar wares and work out strategies to find your niche.
A Budget
All businesses need to work to a budget. The difference here is that there are costs involved in starting up an eBusiness that are unique to the online environment. You’ll need to consider factors such as
* Domain registration fees
* Web hosting fees
* Website Development Costs
* Marketing – SEO and PPC
* ISP fees
* Additional phone lines
Remember you’ll need to work on Start Up, Monthly and Annual costs and well as Fixed and Controllable expenses.
If you don’t know what you’re doing you could end up in a financial mess that spells disaster to your venture, so it pays to call in the experts if you’re ‘green’.
Create
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a Website Check List
Once you have a team working on the site, you’ll need to allocate jobs to the right people and in order to do this you need to be aware of all the big and small steps needed to create a successful online business.
Factors to take into account include:
* Technical details such as domain name registration.
* Content compilation – review, rewrite, re-package.
* Graphics – including overall design, and digitizing of logo.
* Site creation and testing – try different browsers, test navigation etc.
* Preparing Title, Description and meta tags.
* Registering with major, regional and niche directories and search engines.
* Link campaigning, including online press releases and articles.
This list is by no means exhaustive but gives you an idea of how complex the ‘simple process of online business development and marketing’ actually is.
This article is not a ‘how-to’ for creating your eCommerce business plan, but a look at just a few of the factors that need to be taken into account before launching an online business. If you’re feeling a little out of your depth, don’t be discouraged – your online venture can become a thriving and successful business with careful planning and the help of the experts. Adam works in the Online Business Development department at R.O.I. Media and enjoys writing articles about Online Marketing and SEO.
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