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Building Ecommerce Websites That Work - Part 2
Building Ecommerce Websites That Work - Part 2
By Richard Keir, Sat Dec 10th
Copyright 2005 Richard Keir Succeeding with an website is a dream for many thesedays. It may seem nearly impossible at times, but it can bedone. This series covers some of the basic success factors -things you must consider in creating, implementing, managing anddeveloping a quality web site. There are many ways todo business on the internet - and, not surprisingly, a lot ofways to both make and lose money. Mainly, I'm focusing oneCommerce sites intended to sell products of various kinds. Notevery factor is going to apply to every site, but since a majorfailing of many internet entrepreneurs is the lack of multipleincome streams, you'd do well to carefully consider all factorsand apply them as needed in developing alternate revenue streams. On examining your web site, put some serious thoughtinto how you can provide personal attention to each visitor. Theidea here is a process of personalization through which eachvisitor, if they wish, can develop a unique experience of yoursite.
Provide options through which the user can alter layout, colors,etc. Give customers the capability to create their own personalpages on your site. Perhaps offer a simple and easy to provideservice to registered customers, such as free email accounts. As well as building loyalty and stickiness, such features alsobuild your customer database. Scripts are also available whichwill allow on-the-spot personalization based on responses to aseries of questions. You can also use this kind of script tofocus your sales message more tightly to the user's expressedinterests. This technique has been reported to substantiallyincrease conversion rates. Free services which can be provided on autopilot can be avirtually endless source of targeted customers. Everything fromfree email to blog hosting, opt-in list building to freeadvertising forums, all operate on the same principle asbuilding a list through a newszine, white papers, free ebooks orwhatever. In return for registration, e.g. name and confirmedemail, you provide a service that your visitors desire. Theexchange of value is critical. The more valuable the servicethat you offer, the more willing people are to provide theirinformation. Careful structuring can allow you to collectsignificant marketing information on your registered users whichwould allow well-targeted marketing campaigns. Never lose track of a customer. Maintaining a database ofcustomers with any of their prior purchases, interests, and soon, allows you to provide personalized purchase suggestions andspecial offers. The life-long value of a happy customer may bedifficult to estimate accurately, but it's far easier to sell toexisting customers than to be continuously forced to acquire newones. Even if you only have a single product now, you will eventuallyhave expand your product line(s). Don't throw a buyer away. Stayin touch, offer information, occasionally recommend a highquality product you use and value. Build trust through value andquality. It's nearly impossible to over-emphasize this point.Look to the long term and plan ahead. Every serious marketerneeds to do this. To
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further expand the human dimension, you can add forums andchat rooms. Provide a variety of means to acquire visitor input.On site surveys and questionnaires, email surveys and opinionpolls can not only increase your customers' sense of being incontact with real people who value their opinions and ideas, butalso provide exceptionally useful information for refining yourmarketing and sales tactics. Loyalty programs and affinitynetworks can also help. This is a lot like beating a real dead horse, but... Reliabilityand security are crucial. If your site is big enoughand busy enough, multiple parallel servers, redundant hardware,use of fail-safe technology, fast technical support service,high quality encryption, valid certificates, high qualitypayment processors and excellent firewalls will all allow you toensure your customers that their data is safe, their orders arehandled properly and nobody's getting their credit informationthat shouldn't. Many people still are extremely hesitant topurchase on-line because of fears of identity and/or credit cardtheft. You can't ignore this issue and hope to succeed. Right now you may not need (or want to pay for) parallelservers, redundant hardware and fail-over technology, but don'tignore the rest. You depend on your hosting providerto keep your business running. So think carefully and do someserious research. Overloaded servers, lack of redundant networkconnections, slow technical support, poor backup procedures cancreate a nightmare situation for both you and your customers As a final consideration for this part, smooth out your customercontact and support procedures. If multiple staff might comeinto contact with your customers (chat, phone or email) ,providing all of them with the same (and useful) informationabout the customer, prior orders, any previous or currentproblems and so forth, can avoid a lot of potential frustration- and lost orders or, worse, a customer lost forever. It can be incredibly irritating to have to tell the same storyover and over, getting bounced from one person to another whenno information ever seems to have been recorded. While it maycut down on repeat complaints, that's usually because thecustomer is gone forever. Construct your systems so that noinformation is lost and so that the data needed to be responsiveand helpful is instantly available. In doing this consider thatsome information which customers may not feel comfortable abouteveryone knowing should be restricted to those who wouldactually need it. Doing these things right can add significant credibility andusability to your online business, as well as build a loyalcustomer base which actually enjoys dealing with your eCommercebusiness. When you reach that stage, you're there - the truewin-win situation that's makes an outstanding website. About the author:Richard writes, teaches and consults on business presentations,eCommerce, site building and programming. Visit http://www.Building-eCommerce-Websites foreCommerce resources and links and check http://www.Building-eCommerce-Websites/blogfor opinion and ideas.
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