"Mom and Pop Type" Small Business Getting Into E-commerce
So you want to be a merchant to the World via the Internet!
If you don't have time to read this letter at least read the
Bottom Line.
Consider this carefully before you begin.
The Internet in itself has so widely grown and been accepted in the mainstream, in such a way as to breathe new life into most small businesses. With all the 'chain stores and mega malls' everywhere you look, the small business (ie. Mom and Pop) stores can't survive without going on the Internet. The Mom and Pop stores can survive by carving out a small niche that is only viable on the web for success, where their only competition would be other web stores.
A small on-line business that, fills a niche, of a narrow category of a product, can fight the large chains on nearly equal footing, by being on the Internet.
Remember, that the entire world is now your market place. You need only a hand full of people from a few hundred cities who have a keen interest in your niche for you to succeed. This is particularly true in the world of hobbies and collectables.
If you have a very large selection of every variation in size, shape, color, and quality of a narrow category of a product, you can be better than those Big Guy's mega stores.
Your "Mom and Pop" small business on the Web will appear to be one of the "Big Guy" who's store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Your Small Businesses can provide much better service. The consumer has direct contact with you the owner, when necessary, not someone from the public relations department at corporate headquarters. Which could be hundreds or even thousands of miles away from where the product is being manufactured. You, the small business "Owner," have not only public relations responsibilities, but the authority to make final decisions on behalf of your company, giving all due consideration to the needs of the customer and the company.
What do you need to do before you jump into eCommerce?
The First Thing To Do (hopefully you will have some ideas by now)!
First research your product category on-line. Know what is already out there.
Then think about how you can do it better.
Not necessarily "reinvent the wheel" but how you can convey the product to the potential customer that your product "feels" like it is the right one to purchase.
People are naturally drawn to a "community" where they share an interest with the community. For example, collectors of Trains number in the 10's of thousands all over the world. They have a viable online community that supports various discussions and online events that focus on the collection of Trains, and related photographs, memorabilia, and books etc. Internet customers are compelled to purchase products because they want to reward the creation and sustaining of the "community" they share interest in. Not only do these activities generate customers who are inclined to purchase Train related products, but the interaction between the participants and the store creates a bond that leads to loyal, lifelong spending customers.
Become part of a "community" by providing "Free" resources such as:
Some history about your product(s). Or technical information about the product(s) such as a copy of the operating manual or instructions for use right there on line.
Have a forum for people to discuss their interests in this type of product. This works especially well for collectable items such as trains, coins, stamps, models, etc. It also works for passion interests such as those dog, cat, horse lovers, etc.
Consider having a newsletter regarding your special product line. Take article submissions from your web site visitors.
In short: Be a destination and resource, not just a web store.
Remember patience is the watch word.
The old addage "If you build it they will come" doesn't apply to Web Sites. It takes months before your web address is added to all the major "Free" search engines. Especially, these days. The search engines are being inundated with ten's of thousands of submissions, each day, to their data bases.
Nothing beats you, the store owner, taking an active role in marketing your web site.
Add the web site's address to your business cards, company stationary and add it as a link in all your outgoing email.
If you advertise locally, be sure and reference your web site.
Cultivate reciprocal links with other web sites that have a logical relation to your product line. Not your competitors, but community related organizations and associations.
If you are selling trains and accessories get links with organizations such as the Association of Train Enthusiasts (if one exists) or advertise in the various "train related" news groups and discussion boards and forums. These resources are relatively inexpensive to advertise in but do allow you to target people interested in your type of product and who are "Net Savvy," and can appreciate the resources at your web site.
The narrower you make your niche the better you will turn up in the search engines. Your page will be designed specifically for that niche.
You do not want web surfers who are not interested in your product as they will only waste your time (and theirs) and your resources.
Look for other "related" associations and organizations to establish relationships with.
Consider "donating" a small percentage of each sale for those associations or organizations that will help promote your product. Or consider "swapping links" with them, ie: you advertise their site if they advertise your site.
