Before becoming a netpreneaur, I was an entrepreneur. First, I owned a successful child care center which grew to capacity in less than two years. When I sold that, I bought a little flower shop that had less than 300 customers and grew it to what it is today, one of the most successful, award winning companies in South Florida with more than 7,000 customers who purchase from us on a regular business. To better serve our customers, we took our business to the Internet. We still have a brick and mortar storefront, yet everyday we receive more and more customers via the Internet.
How about you? Do you or did you have a traditional business or professional practice? Is it successful? Unless you were born under the star called "LUCKY," you probably did lots of planning. A business plan, a marketing plan, maybe even a succession plan for what to do with your business when you were through.
You may have heard the statistics that half of all small businesses fail in their first year and of those, only 25% make it through to five years. According to youngbiz.com it can be even less for e-businesses.
Build it and they will come! Not! You can have a terrific site, with lots of bells and whistles and if people don't know you exist, you never get any visitors, let alone customers.
Planning is the key to success in business. Amazon.com had a plan, Bill Gates had a plan, eDiets had a plan, and I'll bet they still do. Once a business launches on the net, you will need a marketing plan to be successful. Your biggest challenge will be to find time to plan. However, if you don't find time now, you will find yourself with plenty of it (time, that is) later on, and no business to speak of.
Unlike a business, generally created to get financial backing from investors, Netpreneurs create marketing plans for themselves. Where do you start? First you have to ask yourself these questions. Where do you want to be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years? How many customers do you want or better yet, how much money do you want to make? Who are your customers? Do you know what they want, need and expect? Can you give it to them? What are your competitors doing? What are you doing that is different? How will you promote your business?
Now Create your Website marketing plan.
Put it in writing! Not only do you have to plan, you have to write it down! Take a notebook or idea book and write the following: your vision, mission strategies, goals and the time frame you wish to accomplish these goals. Keep this notebook next to your computer to refer to. It will help you stay focused.
What is your vision for your business? Your vision is what you want your web site to accomplish. Write your vision statement in your notebook. The vision statement for my flower shop is to "Make a reasonable profit via the Internet by providing a quality product, delivering exceptional service, at a price my customers will pay."
What are your goals? What do you believe you can accomplish that may be a bit of a stretch but doable? If the goals are too easy, you are not getting the most out of your planning process. And you could be losing money. Can make a profit of 20% in 3 months? Can double your customer base in 6 months? If so, write it in your notebook.
What steps do you need to take to achieve your goals? How much do you have to sell to achieve your goals? You must first know your profit margin to determine this figure. Then you have to figure out how you are going to find the customers to make your goals come true.
What are your marketing strategies? Start with those goals you know you can attain. How will you reach your market? Are you going to use search engine optimization, email, newsletters, networking, advertising on related sites, advertising in trade magazines, or write an article to submit to online publications? Participate in online forums, message boards and newsgroups. Include your URL (Internet address) in your signature file.
What is the time-frame for accomplishing your goals? Create a time-line for every goal in your notebook. Next to each goal, write down the starting and ending dates of when you plan to accomplish that goal as well as what type of marketing strategies you are using.
Are you keeping track of your marketing results? If you are doing any advertising whether it is online or offline, track the results. You can track online advertising using ad tracking software such as adtrackz.com, to track all the links you place online. Analyze web site statistics to find out how visits found you. For offline advertising, place codes or words in your advertising to keep track. Your online order forms should have a place to enter the code. To learn how customers found us, we use a numeric code on all advertising/marketing materials.
What is your return on investment? How much money did the marketing strategy cost? How much money did you take in? Subtract the second figure from the first and that is your profit (or loss).
Keep track of those marketing campaigns that worked and those that didn't. Do more of the first. Reevaluate the second. Can you change one thing in the strategy and achieve different results? Try it! Add new strategies to the mix.
Stay focused on your goals. Nothing feels better than accomplishing a goal. Except maybe, all the money you are going to make when you do!
? 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of the pms principles, powerful marketing strategies to grow your business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International the pms principles, powerful marketing strategies to grow your business (pronounced wee-kī) ? an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." She can be reached at the pms principles, powerful marketing strategies to grow your business.
Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..What do Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Anthony Robbins, Andrew... Read More
Business owners and entrepreneurs are, by nature, risk takers and... Read More
There's nothing automatic about corporate growth, particularly in the information... Read More
The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling... Read More
The University of Exeter in the United Kingdom recently published... Read More
If you own a pressure washing business one of the... Read More
One of the most powerful driving forces in human nature... Read More
Note to Rite Aid and CVS: It's not about the... Read More
Human beings are rational agents. Rationality endorses one to take... Read More
Succession planning, like any business acumen, is both an art... Read More
Writing a business plan can be tricky when all the... Read More
Is there really anything as a problem? Does chaos or... Read More
If you own the mid-size business and actively work in... Read More
A focus group is a group of employees or current... Read More
Many of us are discouraged by the networking events that... Read More
"Bozo" ? A clown with a forlorn look, always finding... Read More
One of the difficulties we face in our industrialized age... Read More
Imagine an office without a desk, or lights, a computer,... Read More
Does the competition drive you crazy?Are they relentless about taking... Read More
David E. Gumpert, author of Burn Your Business Plan, often... Read More
Remember Chux? The disposable diaper that took the market by... Read More
In Ohio: besides the 3-Cs you should look at Akron,... Read More
Whether you are seeking capital for your company or are... Read More
The current state of the available technology at the disposal... Read More
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..Regroup?is this a new management trend? Not a chance! Regroup... Read More
In this small article we'll concentrate on farmers associations and... Read More
One of the most powerful driving forces in human nature... Read More
Experts estimate that 90 percent of Australian businesses are overspending... Read More
I love the excitement of starting up a new home... Read More
Q: A key investor in my business has suggested that... Read More
Entrepreneurs often give little if any consideration to their computer... Read More
Cassy was an employee of a nonprofit who had been... Read More
A menu is the foundation of any restaurant; Guests will... Read More
American Eagle Outfitters and Wet Seal Stores have issued statements... Read More
Businesses tend to avoid doing their annual business plan thinking... Read More
Growth through acquisition should not be considered an option reserved... Read More
As a franchisor it is imperative that you seek, find... Read More
The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization Generating... Read More
1. Largest Selection -One way that you can make your... Read More
How are you feeling today? Good, not so good, great?... Read More
What do Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Anthony Robbins, Andrew... Read More
These may sound like no brainers, but you'd be surprised.... Read More
Writing a business plan to help you direct and manage... Read More
In 1989, Sony founded its Institute of Wisdom at the... Read More
A focus group is a group of employees or current... Read More
Have you ever done a SWOT analysis? No, it's not... Read More
After 128 years of business, a household word, Montgomery Wards,... Read More
If you own a mobile franchise business and wish to... Read More
Note to Rite Aid and CVS: It's not about the... Read More
Strategic Planning |