Once your online store is in place, you’re not finished. Managing the day-to-day, month-to-month activities that can elevate your store in search engine rankings, convert more customers, and create a growing stream of profit requires a regimen not unlike operating a traditional brick and mortar store.
Ranking well in the search engines is hugely valuable for any business but it is absolutely essential for an online business. If you are not at the top of the search engines for your keywords, you are missing out on vital sales. Ranking an e-commerce site though is easier said than done as often they [...]
Are you ready for an increase in online holiday sales? The Census Bureau report for the second quarter of 2011, illustrates that the online buying trend is steadily growing. With more consumers making buying decisions and purchases online, it can be prognosticated that holiday e-commerce sales will be strong. [media url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emaz6NiX_WQ" width="600" height="400"] Traditionally, Black [...]
Online retail sales are climbing. The independent research company, Forrester Research, Inc., attributes 9 percent of all US retail sales to online purchases, and predicts that by 2014 that will increase to 11 percent. Overall retail sales were up 3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, however online sales were up 13.5 percent. Clearly, [...]
Bret’s series on brick-and-mortar retailers and their move online continues with specific planning tips. The first installment, “How Small Brick-and-Mortar Retailers Succeed Online; 4 Keys,” offered sound advice on how retailers can compete online. This next article, published by Practical Ecommerce, lists five tips any retailer should consider before opening their first online store. I’m [...]
Categories: Manage
I’m a person who could be classified as a list maker. It’s one of, if not the, most important tool I use to stay organized and on task. In fact, my kids learned at an early age just how important Mom’s lists were. Posted on the refrigerator was a notepad where items that needed replacing [...]
Bret Williams is writing a series of articles focusing on the issues facing small, brick-and-mortar retailers as they migrate online. The first in the series, distributed by Practical Ecommerce, can be read in full here. In it he discusses how small online retailers can compete with large companies like Walmart and Amazon. Be sure to [...]
Categories: Manage
Seth Godin, author of several books on marketing, recently posted the question “Whatcha gonna do with that duck?” He doesn’t advocate skipping the step of “getting your ducks in a row,” however, he does challenge you to do something with those ducks. How often have you promised yourself that you would do _____ as soon [...]
Categories: Manage
For the past 10 years, my wife and I have operated a million dollar business from the comfort of our home. It’s been a joy not having to commute to work, and we’ve seen our three boys grow up right before our eyes into fine young men. We’ve had the freedom to set our own [...]