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The Online Business
      Guidebook       Fall 2009



    START HERE




The essential guide
to starting your
online business
Third-Party Information

This guide contains links to third-party websites that are not under the control of The
Online Business Guidebook, and The Online Business Guidebook is not responsible
for the content on any linked site. If you access a third-party website mentioned in
this guide, then you do so at your own risk. The Online Business Guidebook provides
these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of the link does not imply that
The Online Business Guidebook endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content
on those third-party sites. Further, readers should be aware that web sites listed in this
work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when
it is read. Use of third-party logos in the listings in this guidebook is for educational
purposes only and does necessarily imply endorsement of or by these third-parties, nor
does it necessarily imply affiliation with the third-party.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty
The publisher, authors, and contributors make no representations or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically
disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a
particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional
materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every
situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher, authors, and
contributors, are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional
services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional
should be sought. Neither the publisher, nor the authors or contributors, shall be liable
to any party for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising
out of the use of this work, or any derivatives thereof, even if the authors have been
advised of the possibility of such damage.

Copyright © 2009 by The Online Business Guidebook. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reprinted or distributed without prior written
permission by the author. All trademarks printed herein are property of their
respective owners.

First Edition: Fall 2009

The Online Business Guidebook
125 N. Main St. #233
Blacksburg, VA 24060
1.888.695.9551
www.businessguidebook.org
Table of Contents

1   Establish Your Business                                                                                                                                  7
    Registering Your Business  .             .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    . 8
    Registering Your Website  .              .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    10
    Register a 1-800 Number  .               .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    12
    Create Your Logo  .  .  .  .  .          .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    14
    Competitor Analysis  .  .  .  .          .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    16

2   Develop Your Product                                                                                                                                  19
    Graphic Design & Web Development  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                                                                20
    Web Content Management  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                                                              22
    Outsourcing  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                                                    24

3   Sell Your Product                                                                                                                                     27
    Sales Force Automation  .           .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   28
    Buyers & Suppliers  .  .  .         .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   30
    Shopping Carts  .  .  .  .  .       .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   32
    Call Center & IVR Support           .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   34
    Payment Processing  .  .            .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   36
    Outsourced Fulfillment:  .          .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   38

4   Promote Your Business                                                                                                                                 41
    Purchasing Prospects  .  .          .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   42
    Email Marketing  .  .  .  .         .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   44
    Direct Mail  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   46
    Pay-Per-Click Advertising           .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   48
    Affiliate Marketing  .  .  .        .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   50
    Blogvertising  .  .  .  .  .  .     .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   52
    Distributing Articles  .  .  .      .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   54
    Internet Marketing  .  .  .         .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   56

                                                                                                                  Table of Contents                              |   1
5    Track Your Performance                                                                                                                       59
          Internal Issue Tracking  .  .  .  .  .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   60
          Online Feedback/Survey Tools  .           .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   62
          Public Product Reviews  .  .  .  .        .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   64
          Web Analytics  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   66
          Automatic Website Monitoring  .           .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   68

     6    Complete Your Administration                                                                   71
          Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 72




2   | The Online Business Guidebook
Acknowledgments
                                     Mike Levisay    CEO
                                Chris VanEvery       Executive Director
                                 Alan Abrahams       Faculty Advisor
                                         Publishing Team
         Tirna Singh    Megan Wright                            Jason Finnell    James Milholen
        Kyle O’Neal     Joe Bonfiglio                          Philip Kempton    Kara Nicole Batt
                        Andrea Lovett
                                              Sales Team
       Lauren Taylor    Drew Kahle                              David Starler    Sara DiMantova
         Mike Knoth     Damon Silva                             Caryn English    Kristin English
                        Carrick Hines
                                           Finance Team
        Anthony Wu      Chris Perry                            Richard Hardy     Corey Whisker
     David Hudzinski    Kenneth Black                            Roger Akins     Andrew Barnes

                                     Website Development Team
     William Lindner    Sean Elble                             Bharat Khanna     John Flores
                        Greg Seador                            Cheerag Patel
                                          Marketing Team
           Jeff Barry   Shannon Jones                            Drew Ernest     Wesley Jackson

                        Friedrich Vogel Jr.                        Jeremy Liu    Sarah Smith
                                              Contributors
      A.J. DiLorenzo    Graham Hudgins                          Nathan Moon      J.J. Gregoric
         Chris Dixon    Constatine Papanas-                            Alan Ma   R.J. Stanley
                        tasiou
The Online Business Guidebook thanks the following corporate sponsors for their generous
                                support of this edition

                                          Progress Printing
                                                Deloitte
                 Special Thanks to: Mark White, Jon Taillon, Jeanie Darlington
                                        Advisory Committee
    James Dubinsky      Student Engagement                    Eva Brumberger     Print Writing
         Carlos Evia    Web Writing                           Truman Capone      Visual Design
        Gary Kinder     Careers and Recruiting                  Lynn Nystrom     Engineering
         Kari Adkins    Advisory                                 Philip Martin   Financial Advice
         Jigar Doshi    Advisory                                Bruce Philips    Legal Services
                                          Special Thanks
        Phill Stevens    Layout Design                         Pat McCarthy      Corporate Relations
         Sookhan Ho      Publicity                             Tracy McCoy       Administration
         Ellen Krupar    Information                         Steven D. Smith     Advisory
                                   Bernard Taylor    Sponsorship
Preparing students for
    global business challenges
InnovatIon




             The Pamplin College of Business
             ■ Our undergraduate program is ranked among
              the nation’s 50 best business schools.
             ■ Pamplin students manage more than $8
              million of Virginia Tech’s endowment through
              investments in stocks and fixed-income
              securities.
             ■ The college sponsors several study-abroad
              programs to Africa, Asia, and Europe each year.



              For more information about the Pamplin
              College of Business, call 540/231-6601 or visit
              www.pamplin.vt.edu.
                                   www.pamplin.vt.edu
Tell Us Your Story
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issue, on our website, or in our publicity!
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distribute@businessguidebook.org.


                                                           Table of Contents      |   5
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1            Establish Your Business


Itching to start your new online business? First, you’ll need to register your
business with the federal and state governments, and register your website. To
make it easier for customers to reach you and enhance your business credibil-
ity, you might want to purchase a 1-800 number. Finally, build your brand by
getting yourself a logo that makes your business more unique and noticeable.
                                                                                 1




                                                                                 Establish Your Business
         Register your business...............................8
         Register your website................................10
         Register your 1-800 number......................12
         Create your logo.........................................14




                                                                                 7
Registering Your Business: Quicksteps
        Follow these easy steps to register your business.


        Step 1
        Determine which type of legal entity you wish to become - a Sole
        Proprietorship, a General Partnership, a Limited Partnership, a Limited
        Liability Corporation, a Corporation or an S Corporation. Use information
        provided from the vendors below to help determine which is best for your
        business.
        Step 2
        Look to see if the desired name for your legal entity is available and is not
        already taken by another corporation.
        Step 3
        Check quotes from the vendors listed below to determine the best price for
        incorporating in legal entity type of your choice in the state of your choosing.
        Step 4
        Choose the appropriate vendor and then submit the necessary information
        about your business to the vendor.
        Step 5
        Receive the completed documents and submit them to the appropriate offices.
        Many of the vendors listed alongside will save you the hassle by submitting
        the relevant documents to the appropriate authorities on your behalf.




8   |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   Look at state incorporation laws when         Search Google using the following search
    determining where to incorporate your         phrases :
    business. Some states have more favor-
    able incorporation laws than others;
    however, if you do business in states
    outside of the state of your incorporation,   1. Register your business
    you may have to pay extra fees.
                                                  2. Form your LLC
♦   Do you have a registered agent for your
    business? If you register as a corporation    3. Register business name
    or as a Limited Liability Corporation, all
                                                  4. Registering a business online
    states require your corporation to have a
    registered agent. Many of the vendors         5. Incorporating a business

                                                                                             1
    which provide services to register as a
    business also provide registered agent        6. Registered agent
    services.




                                                                                             Establish Your Business
Registering Your Business: Vendors
Get started with registering your business with the following vendors:




IncFile.com                                       MyNewCompany.com




LegalZoom.com                                     InstaCorp.com




                                                  AilCorp.com

Corporate.com                                     om




BizFilings.com                                    ClickAndInc.com


                                                                                             9
Registering Your Website: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to register your website.


       Step 1
       Conduct a WhoIs lookup to determine if the web domain address you wish to
       purchase is available. A WhoIs search can be conducted at the vendor websites
       below.
       Step 2
       Register your domain name with one of the vendors listed below.
       Step 3
       Pay the monthly fee to keep your domain name registered.
       Step 4
       Pay additional fees if you would like for a vendor to provide additional services
       such as an e-mail domain name or web hosting services.
       Step 5
       Place content on your website by either using tools from the vendor or by us-
       ing your own web development tools.




10 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Ensure that the name of your business       Search Google using the following search
    and the name of your web domain are         phrases :
    consistent.

♦   Many of the vendors which provide
    domain names additionally provide web       1. Web registration
    hosting services. See if you can get the
    two together as a package and potentially   2. Domain name comparison
    save money.
                                                3. Domain Name Availability
♦   Make sure you pick an appropriate
    extension for your web domain.              4. Domain Name Lookup
                                                5. Domain Name Affiliates
                                                6. Domain Name Check
                                                                                            1




                                                                                            Establish Your Business
Registering Your Website: Vendors
Get started with registering your website with the following vendors:




Whois.net                                       steadfast.net




NetworkSolutions.com                            Verio.com




Register.com                                    1and1.com




GoDaddy.com                                     americaneagle.com


                                                                                           11
Register a 1-800 Number: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to acquire your own 1-800-Number, for your business,
       online:

       Step 1
       Visit one of the sites below, and view their many service options. Most
       companies offer a variety of different phone plans.
       Step 2
       Pick the plan that seems to best fit your needs.
       Step 3
       Sign up for a free trial if offered. These tend to be the best way to see if a plan is
       the right one for your business.
       Step 4
       Pay whatever monthly or yearly fees apply. Make sure to double check ahead of
       time to know what your rates will be.
       Step 5
       Monitor all your new incoming calls, and reply to them as soon as possible.




12 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                             Want to learn more?
♦   Shop around, and make sure to compare          Search Google using the following search
    prices on rates. There are lots of options     phrases :
    out there.

♦   As with all phone plans, read carefully for
    hidden fees.                                   1. 1-800 Numbers
♦   If you opt to acquire receptionist services,   2. 1-800 Dialers
    check to see where the receptionists are
    stationed. Many customers prefer local,        3. Online Phone Service
    U.S.-based tech support.
                                                   4. Business numbers
♦   Always be careful, and monitor your
    minute usage, if you get a plan that lacks     5. Receptionists Services

♦
    unlimited minutes.

    Lastly, make sure to purchase these ser-
    vices with a business bank account, and
                                                   6. Online Business Phone Systems            1
    not your personal one.




                                                                                               Establish Your Business
Register a 1-800 Number: Vendors
Get started with registering your 1-800 number with the following vendors:




Ringcentral.com
                                                   VoiceNation.com


Dial800.com
                                                   ReceptionHQ.com


Phonepeople.com


                                                   Kall8.com
FreedomVoice.com




                                                                                              13
Create Your Logo: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to create a customized logo for your company.


       Step 1
       Choose among the many logo creation providers listed below.
       Step 2
       Search for the package that looks right for you. This will be based on how
       many logo concepts, stationary logo designs, revisions, and other services
       requested such as brochures or business cards.
       Step 3
       Sign-up at their website with your personal and company information.
       Step 4
       Give input. You will be asked preferences or ideas about the logo concept you
       would like created for your company. Logo designers will incorporate your
       ideas in a customized solution.
       Step 5
       Buy the logo! The logo creators will work with you to create your custom
       design, but you’ll have to give them the money to do it. Prices can often range
       from $100 to over $1,000.




14 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Be sure you know exactly what you are        Search Google using the following search
    getting for the money you are giving.        phrases :
♦   Create consistency throughout your com-
    pany to create a brand (your logo, web
    design, promotional material).               1. Logo Design
♦   Colors have meaning - be sure you have       2. Custom Logos
    colors that instill the correct emotion or
    concept.                                     3. Logo Creation
                                                 4. Custom Logo Branding
                                                 5. Create Logo Designs
                                                 6. Design Your Logo
                                                                                             1




                                                                                             Establish Your Business
Create Your Logo: Vendors
Get started with creating your logo with the following vendors:




                                                 Logoyes.com
Gladhandle.com




Logoworks.com                                    Logobee.com




Logocare.com
                                                 Volusion.com




Businesslogo.net                                 Networksolutions.com



                                                                                            15
Competitor Analysis: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to automatically track your competitors.


       Step 1
       Try a demo of one of the products designed to automatically track informa-
       tion about your competitors, provided by the vendors listed alongside.

       Step 2
       Choose the software that best fits the needs of your business from one of the
       vendors.
       Step 3
       Purchase the software and the appropriate amount of licenses needed.
       Step 4
       Install the software on a computer where information about competitors will
       be monitored, or use the software online.
       Step 5
       Analyze the reports and digital dashboards created by the software to help de-
       termine how your brand is performing against the brands of your competitors.




16 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                          Want to learn more?
♦   The cost per license to use the software    Search Google using the following search
    may decrease based on the amount of         phrases :
    licenses you purchase.

♦   Ensure that you have enough licenses of
    the software to legally cover all employ-   1. Consumer trends
    ees who will use the software.
                                                2. Brand marketing solution
                                                3. Media monitoring industry
                                                4. Competitive Intelligence Software
                                                5. Media monitoring and analysis
                                                6. Real time business intelligence
                                                                                            1




                                                                                            Establish Your Business
Competitor Analysis: Vendors
Get started with competitor analysis with the following vendors:




Google.com/alerts                               BuzzLogic.com




IslandData.com                                  Umbria.com




AndiamoSystems.com                              QL2.com




BrandIntel.com                                  RelevantNoise.com




                                                                                           17
18 |   The Online Business Guidebook
2            Develop Your Product


One of the most important steps you must take in the beginning phase of
starting your online business is to develop the product or service you wish to
market and sell. A fair amount of research and planning should be done to
ensure you have a clear vision for your product and reason to believe you can
market it successfully. Once you have decided on the ingredients or materials
needed for your product, a well-made prototype will help you acquire the
resources you will need to grow your business. After you have developed a
basic prototype you can begin focusing on the visuals you feel will establish a
strong online presence for your business and product. This chapter highlights
the many different areas in which portraying a professional image will enhance
the likelihood that consumers will trust your brand. Every visual element
associated with your business must be relevant to the message you wish to
                                                                                   2
send out to others about your company. From customizing your product to




                                                                                   Develop Your Product
designing your website, remaining consistent amongst colors, fonts, styles, and
other visual elements involved leaves an influential impression on potential
customers. As this chapter will discuss, there are various options available
for generating the aesthetics involved with your business. While acquiring
software and learning new tools may be convenient for some, others may
wish to outsource any or all pertinent design work to a professional company.
Deciding exactly what your design needs will be and researching all options
available will allow you to move forward in creating a professional image for
your company.


         Graphic Design and Web Development.....20
         Web Content Management.......................22
         Outsourcing..............................................24




                                                                                  19
Graphic Design & Web Development: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps for designing a website for your company.


       Step 1
       Decide what your graphic design needs are, and will be for the near future.
       Match the graphic design needs you came up with and the capabilities of
       the product tools and packages offered by the companies below. In addition
       to outsourcing design work, various software applications can be used to aid
       in the design of artwork as needed for your website, printed materials, logo
       designs, packaging customization, etc.
       Step 2
       Determine if your company would like to use original artwork or additional
       graphic resources for any part of your website or product design. Purchasing
       stock photos to display on your website or throughout product demos can
       improve the professionalism of your brand.
       Step 3
       Understand the difference between royalty-free and rights-managed contracts
       when purchasing images.
       Step 4
       Decide whether you would like create a website by your own means or
       through outsourcing the work to another company and select a vendor that
       offers customized website design or templates.
       Step 5
       Describe the job you need done if you choose to have a customized website
       created. Through a series of calls and emails, both you and the vendor will be
       able to come to an agreement on what it is that needs to be done to help you
       kick start your company, or improve upon what you’ve already built.
       Step 6
       Purchase the service, package, or images that fulfill your website and graphic
       design needs.




20 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   When purchasing a graphic design tool,       Search Google using the following search
    be sure to check usability.                  phrases :
♦   When dealing with stock photos, licens-
    ing agreements may have specifications
    about when and how the item can be           1. Graphic Design Tools
    used, where you may display the image,
    and what projects you may use them for.      2. Stock Photos
    All of these factors will vary depending
    on whether your image is royalty free or     3. Royalty Free Images
    rights managed.
                                                 4. Rights Managed Images
♦   Free web template providers typically
    offer limited or no support for their        5. Website Templates
    products. Be sure to read the terms of use
                                                 6. Web Design Services
    before using a template.




Graphic Design & Web Development: Vendors
Get started with your graphic design with the following vendors:
                                                                                             2


                                                                                             Develop Your Product
Graphic Design and Stock Photos:                 Custom Web Development:




Quark.com
                                                 Sendtec.com

Inkscape.com

                                                 Acadaca.com



JupiterImages.com



                                                 Usi.com
Gettyimages.com



                                                                                            21
Web Content Management: Quicksteps
       Content management systems help you easily manage the content on your
       website, without requiring you to have any computer programming skills. Fol-
       low these easy steps to easily manage the content of your website.


       Step 1
       Determine which type of web content management system you need: offline,
       online, or hybrid.
       Step 2
       Decide whether you will use a free (open-source) content management sys-
       tem, or pay for a commercial one.
       Step 3
       Register with your content management system provider.
       Step 4
       Download the CMS from the vendor’s website, install it, and get started!




22 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   As with anything in life, you get what      Search Google using the following search
    you pay for. If you use a free CMS, you     phrases :
    will not have as much support if you run
    into issues. However, the CMS open-
    source community is thriving, and many
    of the providers offer excellent support.   1. Web CMS
♦   Be sure to carefully read the licensing     2. Content management system
    agreements for each CMS, as each varies
    from the rest.                              3. CMS web tools
                                                4. Open source web CMS
                                                5. Web 2.0 CMS
                                                6. Web hosting CMS




Web Content Management: Vendors
Get started with your graphic design with the following vendors:
                                                                                            2


                                                                                            Develop Your Product
                                                Mamboserver.com

Joomla.org




Plone.org                                       Zope.org




Radiantcms.org                                  Drupal.org




                                                                                           23
Outsourcing: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to outsource the work for your website.


       Step 1
       Register one of the sites listed on the next page and then look for their Em-
       ployer Section.
       Step 2
       Search the site for possible freelancers that meet your needs, or…
       Step 3
       Post a project or job description. Many sites offer the option to list your spe-
       cific needs via their webpage for freelancers registered with their site.
       Step 4
       Request a quote. It may take a little while for the individuals you request a
       price quote from to get back to you, but it shouldn’t take too long.
       Step 5
       Pay the freelancer via whatever site you have contracted him or her through.




24 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   Make sure to read the terms of service        Search Google using the following search
    carefully for unexplained fees.               phrases :
♦   There is never a 100% guarantee that
    the people you contact through a vendor
    will do the job you ask. Always check the     1. Outsourcing
    references or credentials freelancers post.
                                                  2. Freelancer
♦   Each freelancer sets his own price as
    well as the comission of the host site, so    3. Contract worker
    double check rate information..
                                                  4. Graphic Designer
♦   Look for sites that offer free service
    for employers and Safe Pay options to         5. Programmer
    ensure that transactions are completed as
    securely as possible.




Outsourcing: Vendors
Get started with your outsourcing with the following vendors:
                                                                                              2


                                                                                              Develop Your Product
RentACoder.com


                                                  Guru.com




E-lance.com                                       GetAFreelancer.com




                                                                                             25
www.vdba.virginia.gov

             Click on our website to access other services we offer:


Business Sales Growth Seminars and Entrepreneur Express Workshops

One-on-One Technical Assistance

The Virginia Business Information Center

Virginia Jobs Investment Program

Virginia Small Business Financing Authority




:




    26 |   The Online Business Guidebook
3             Sell Your Product


The following section contains valuable information to help your business sell
your product. An appealing website and a safe and secure online payment
processing system have come to be standard requirements for today’s online
consumer. In this chapter, a variety of methods to help you sell your product
are discussed in detail, from adding a shopping cart component to your
website, to outsourcing your entire businesses order fulfillment needs. Many
of the methods discussed are very simple to implement for any small business,
and will surely enhance the online shopping experience of your potential
buyers. In addition, the easier and more cost efficient it is to sell your product,
the more resources you can use to invest in other areas and aspects of your
business. Continue reading to discover what your business can do to make
selling your product that much easier, and effective.


         Sales Force Automation............................28                          3

                                                                                       Sell Your Product
         Finding Buyers and Resellers....................30
         Shopping Carts.........................................32
         Call Center and IVR Service.......................34
         Payment Processing.................................36
         Outsourced Fulfillment............................38




                                                                                      27
Sales Force Automation: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to integrate a sales force automation system into your
       business.

       Step 1
       Decide if your company is in need of software that will automatically record
       every stage of your online sale process. Implementing an SFA system into
       your business can aid in tasks such as inventory control, sales processing, order
       tracking, and customer management.
       Step 2
       Research the type of SFA system you wish to purchase. Various companies of-
       fer pre-made packages while others offer customizable solutions that allow you
       to select specific tools you would like to include in your software.

       Step 3
       Select an SFA software vendor from the list alongside.
       Step 4
       Integrate your SFA system with any existing Customer Relationship Man-
       agement system you may have and provide an online method for consumers to
       place orders with you.

       Step 5
       Use the data recorded from all sales made to forecast future sales, create
       reports, and analyze the productivity of any sales representatives that may be a
       part of the ordering process.
       Step 6
       React to the information you have gathered. According to the data you ana-
       lyze, this may include developing or eliminating new products, adjusting parts
       of the sales process, and many other possible measures for improvement.




28 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   When choosing a sales force automation        Search Google using the following search
    solution, take into account the training      phrases :
    that will be needed for your sales staff to
    operate the software. Some vendors may
    offer training programs in addition to
    their solutions.                              1. Sales Force Automation
♦   Be sure that the sales automation soft-       2. Marketing Automation
    ware you purchase for your business will
    be compatible with your company’s exist-      3. CRM Automation
    ing software and operating system.
                                                  4. SFA Software
                                                  5. SOA
                                                  6. SaaS




Sales Force Automation: Vendors
Get started with sales force automation with the following vendors:

                                                                                              3

Gladhandle.com                                    Salesforce.com                              Sell Your Product




Netsuite.com                                      Soffront.com




Consona.com                                       Sugarcrm.com



                                                                                             29
Buyers & Suppliers: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to find buyers and ingredient suppliers for your com-
       pany.

       Step 1
       Register with one of the Wholesaler Listing networks displayed below. If
       you are a supplier, listing your company and product information is a great
       way to promote your product or service to potential buyers. If you are a buyer,
       browsing these networks for suppliers of a particular product can ensure your
       business finds the right supplier at the right price.
       Step 2
       Pay the monthly, yearly, or one-time fee required by the organization to open
       up an account for your business. An account will grant you access to impor-
       tant supplier information, such as product availability and pricing, in addition
       to various terms and conditions for each supplier listed.

       Step 3
       Browse through the hundreds of suppliers listed on the network to find the
       specific ingredients your business needs. Be sure to be thorough in your re-
       search as there can be many suppliers selling the same products or services.
       Step 4
       Contact potential suppliers through the Wholesaler Listing network to setup
       and negotiate a new business relationship.




30 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Look for wholesaler networks with the        Search Google using the following search
    right subscription plan for your business.   phrases :
    Most offer a monthly, yearly, or a one-
    time fee.

♦   Be sure to thoroughly research what          1. Wholesale listings
    types of products the wholesaler network
    has listed. Know what types of suppliers     2. Finding suppliers
    are available before subscribing and pay-
    ing the fees.                                3. Manufacturing supplies
♦   While the wholesaler network will            4. Global trade
    provide information about the companies
    listed, a direct phone call to the company   5. Supply wholesalers
    can be very helpful to learn more about
    each supplier before beginning negotia-
    tions.




Buyers & Suppliers: Vendors
Get started with finding buyers and ingredient suppliers with the following
vendors:
                                                                                             3

Alibaba.com                                      Thomasnet.com                               Sell Your Product




Globalsources.com                                Tradekey.com




Buyerzone.com
                                                 Wholesalecentral.com




                                                                                            31
Shopping Carts: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to include a shopping cart on your website.


       Step 1
       Sign up for one of the commercial shopping carts listed on the following page.
       Step 2
       Pay for any initial set up fees and be aware of any additional monthly fees.
       Step 3
       Follow the online shopping cart’s directions and install their software on your
       website server. The shopping cart system will allow you to easily add products
       to your online product catalogue, by uploading product pictures, and filling in
       product details and pricing.
       Step 4
       Accept online payments from your customer. Be aware that some shopping
       carts may charge you a percentage of the total sale.
       Step 5
       Monitor your sales using the shopping cart software, to see which products
       are your best sellers, which customers are your most valuable, and which pro-
       motions are your most successful.




32 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Commercial shopping carts often include     Search Google using the following search
    technical support. Be sure to pick one      phrases :
    that has free technical support.

♦   Choose a shopping cart that will fit
    your needs and is secure. Sometimes the     1. Commercial Shopping Carts
    cheapest one isn’t always the best one!
                                                2. Best Online Shopping Carts
♦   Be wary of hidden fees; some shopping
    carts have low monthly fees, but charge a   3. Online Shopping Carts
    higher percentage on each sale.
                                                4. Online Shopping Cart Software
                                                5. Internet Shopping Carts
                                                6. Web Shopping Carts




Shopping Carts: Vendors
Get started with shopping carts with the following vendors:

                                                                                            3

                                                                                            Sell Your Product
X-cart.com                                      Productcart.com




                                                1shoppingcart.com
goEcart.com


                                                3dcart.com


Cubecart.com
                                                cart32.com




                                                                                           33
Call Center & IVR Support: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to manage effective communication with customers.

       Step 1
       Sign up with one of the Live Chat vendors listed alongside. Providing this
       communication service allows you to interact with customers through your
       website to aid them in any questions or concerns they may have while brows-
       ing your site.
       Step 2
       Pay any applicable usage fees which may vary based on service type and scope.
       Some features you may wish to include in the package you purchase are the
       ability to keep transcripts of previous chats, visitor tracking solutions, and tools
       to better manage and react to this data.
       Step 3
       Implement the Live Chat component into your website and create the option
       for site visitors to contact an agent.
       Step 4
       Provide an efficient method of communicating with customers by phone.
       Using Interactive Voice Response technology handles large call volumes and
       allows callers to interact with an automated system over the phone. Common
       uses of an IVR include electronic voice mail systems and an automated at-
       tendant that may direct the caller to their desired destination through a series
       of menu options.
       Step 5
       Decide if you would like to outsource all or some of your customer service
       interactions to an external company specializing in call center solutions.
       Step 6
       Sign up with one of the call centers listed alongside based on which vendor
       offers services that best support your companies’ objectives. Provide the vendor
       with everything they must know to assist customers appropriately and give
       your company a good reputation.
       Step 7
       Integrate your IVR system as the front-end to the call center. Processing and
       clerical times will be greatly reduced as information can be taken over the
       phone and calls can be directed appropriately from the beginning.




34 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                          Want to learn more?
♦   Many live chat services may be imple-       Search Google using the following search
    mented via applets or Java programs that    phrases :
    may require your customers to download
    plug-ins. If you feel this may upset or
    discourage your customers, look for a
    strictly HTML based chat platform.          1. Online customer service software
♦   When outsourcing call solutions, sign       2. Chat support software
    a confidentiality agreement, as this will
    help keep your business competitive and     3. Hosted Interactive Voice Response
    prevent the call center from using tech-
                                                4. Online tech support chat
    niques learned from your business and
    applying it to your competitors.            5. Interactive voice response software
                                                6. Call center solutions




Call Center & IVR Support: Vendors
Get started with communicating with customers using the following vendors:


Live Chat and Call Center:                      Interactive Voice Response:
                                                                                            3

Instantservice.com                              Voxeo.com                                   Sell Your Product




Livefluence.com
                                                Angel.com


24-7intouch.com




                                                att.com




                                                                                           35
Payment Processing: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to accept credit card payments online.


       Step 1
       Sign up with one of the credit card payment processing vendors listed along-
       side.
       Step 2
       Pay the monthly fee, if applicable, charged by the payment processing vendor
       (typically around $20 per month).

       Step 3
       Insert the program code provided by the payment processing vendor into your
       company’s order acceptance web-page. This code will typically be emailed to
       you, along with instructions, but you may require assistance from a program-
       mer if the integration with your website is complex.
       Step 4
       Accept online purchases from your customers. The vendor will typically charge
       you a small per transaction fee, and forward the remaining cash to your ac-
       count.




36 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                              Want to learn more?
♦   Look for a vendor with no monthly,              Search Google using the following search
    setup, or gateway fees.                         phrases :
♦   Pay attention to the various online
    payment methods companies may offer.
    Some may only accept credit cards, while        1. Payment processing
    others may allow for electronic check
    payments and recurring billing as well.         2. Credit card processing
♦   You are responsible for charge-backs:           3. Authorize credit cards
    these occur when one of your customers
    fails to pay their credit card bill after you   4. Credit card authorization
    have shipped the order to the customer.
    Some payment processing vendors pro-            5. Accept payments
    vide additional software, typically at extra
                                                    6. Online payments
    cost, to help you detect problem custom-
    ers before expensive charge-backs occur.




Payment Processing: Vendors
Get started with payment processing with the following vendors:

                                                                                                3

                                                                                                Sell Your Product
Google.com/checkout                                 Authorize.net




Paypal.com
                                                    achdirect.com




                                                                                               37
Outsourced Fulfillment: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to outsource your company’s order fulfillment services.


       Step 1
       Search for one of the vendors providing order fulfillment services listed along-
       side.
       Step 2
       Decide what product or solution best fits your company’s needs. Outsourced
       fulfillment vendors provide a variety of services such as various order fulfill-
       ment tasks, packaging and shipping, as well as real-time inventory updates.

       Step 3
       Contact the company by filling out an online contact or request form or by
       calling their telephone number to request a quote for the product or service
       desired.
       Step 4
       Wait to be contacted by the company. The fulfillment vendor will notify you
       of pricing as well as a detailed description of the type of services that can be
       provided for your business.




38 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                        Want to learn more?
♦   Make sure the company provides services   Search Google using the following search
    in your area.                             phrases :
♦   Some of these companies also provide
    software solutions to help with your
    order fulfillment needs, in addition to   1. Warehouse Management Services
    offering these services themselves.
                                              2. Warehouse Management Services
♦   While these services can prove to be
    somewhat costly, outsourcing your         3. Value Added services
    company’s fulfillment services can free
    up valuable time for your business and    4. Transportation services
    employees.
                                              5. Outsource Order Fulfillment
                                              6. Warehouse Value Added Services




Outsourced Fulfillment: Vendors
Get started with outsourced fulfillment with the following vendors:

                                                                                          3

Webgistix.com                                 Pssdistribution.com                         Sell Your Product




                                              Newyorkwarehousing.net




CDS-Global.com                                Kewill.com




                                                                                         39
Less job. More print.
                   The fastest, easiest way to print beautiful catalogs and publications!

                               CALL TODAY | 800-572-7804




                                            www.progressprinting.net

40 |   The Online Business Guidebook
4            Promote Your Business


So you have a great product or service, but no one is lining up to purchase
them. Your problem may not be your product, but rather your lack of
promotion. People need to be aware of your products and services before they
can purchase them. This chapter is dedicated to helping you promote your
business to draw in your targeted market.


        Purchasing Prospects................................42
        E-mail Marketing......................................44
        Direct Mail................................................46
        Pay-Per-Click Advertising..........................48
        Affiliate Marketing....................................50
                                                                                4
                                                                                Promote Your Business
        Blogvertising............................................52
        Distributing Articles..................................54
        Internet Marketing Companies.................56




                                                                               41
Purchasing Prospects: Quicksteps
       Prospects (also known as “sales leads”) are people or customers that are likely
       to purchase from you. You can easily create or purchase a list of good pros-
       pects. Follow these easy steps to find clients specific to your target market.


       Step 1
       Choose a specific genre of people that you want to target and include your
       own potential client lists.
       Step 2
       Filter the client list by specifying attributes of the target market. (Examples:
       age, geography, income, etc.)
       Step 3
       Purchase the list online from one of the vendors listed alongside once you
       have customized it.
       Step 4
       Receive the generated list of clients based on the attributes you specified.




42 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Verify that a vendor’s online credit card    Search Google using the following search
    system is secure in order to make sure       phrases :
    that they don’t share your personal infor-
    mation with someone else.

♦   Verify the legitimacy of the vendor’s        1. Targeted mailing lists
    privacy statements to ensure that your
    client’s personal information will not be    2. Telemarketing lists
    reviewed, shared, distributed or refer-
    enced unless there is an agreement with      3. Direct Mail List
    that specific vendor.
                                                 4. Email Marketing List
♦   Abide by laws (such as the Telemarketing
    and Consumer Fraud Prevention Act and        5. Database marketing Mailing lists
    the CAN-SPAM act) regarding contact-
                                                 6. Email Mailing Lists
    ing consumers and businesses via phone
    and e-mail.




Purchasing Prospects: Vendors
Get started with purchasing prospects with the following vendors:




                                                                                             4
Mgilists.com                                     WorldData.com                               Promote Your Business




TLCLists.com
                                                 WalterKarl.com




pinpoint-tech.com                                ConsumerBase.com




                                                                                            43
Email Marketing: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to build, target, send and track email marketing news-
       letters, online surveys and direct mail postcards.

       Step 1
       Construct a promotion to send out to potential and current clients.
       Step 2
       Compile a list of emails for potential and current clients that you wish to
       target with your promotion.
       Step 3
       Send out the promotion to the list of emails gathered.
       Step 4
       Track the results of the promotion being sent.
       Step 5
       Analyze the results of the promotion and make decisions to improve the suc-
       cess for the next promotion.
       Step 6
       Manage and update your list of potential and current clients for future promo-
       tions.




44 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Check the validity of the vendor’s           Search Google using the following search
    security policies in order to store your     phrases :
    client’s personal information in a secure
    environment.

♦   Check the validity of the vendor’s           1. Email marketing
    privacy statements to ensure your client’s
    personal information is not illegally        2. Email advertising
    distributed.
                                                 3. Opt-in marketing
♦   Check the validity of your client’s infor-
    mation to guarantee your promotions will     4. Permission marketing
    reach the maximum amount of potential
    clients possible.                            5. Email campaign




Email Marketing: Vendors
Get started with email marketing with the following vendors:




Gladhandle.com
                                                                                             4
                                                 Constantcontact.com
                                                                                             Promote Your Business



VerticalResponse.com                             Bronto.com




StrongMail.com                                   Lyris.com




Responsys.com                                    Topica.com



                                                                                            45
Direct Mail: Quicksteps
       A direct mailing piece is a printed promotional item that you send via postal
       mail to a list of prospective clients. Follow these easy steps to create and dis-
       tribute your direct mailing piece to your target market.
       Step 1
       Choose a direct mailing piece that you want to send out in order to advertise
       your company and products etc. (Examples: Brochure, Business Cards, Calen-
       dars, and Flyers etc.)
       Step 2
       Design your direct mailing piece by EITHER choosing a customized design
       from on the site OR uploading a file from your own computer.
       Step 3
       Review your design to make sure everything is correct.
       Step 4
       Create your mailing list by EITHER uploading your own contact list or pur-
       chasing a targeted mailing list.
       Step 5
       Purchase the targeted mailing list online if you choose that option.
       Step 6
       Choose which of the 3 mailing options you want the company to complete for
       you:
                Print, Address and Mail
                Print and Address
                Print only
       Step 7
       Pay for your direct mailing piece and mailing option chosen.
       Step 8
       Mail the direct mailing piece out to customers.




46 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                          Want to learn more?
♦   Look for a vendor with personalized         Search Google using the following search
    login accounts so you have a unique,        phrases :
    tailored account for your product.

♦   Look for vendors with a full refund
    guarantee and reprinting if your order is   1. Direct mail
    not to your specifications.
                                                2. List marketing
♦   Test your direct mail campaign by mail-
    ing a small sample to yourself and a few    3. Direct marketing
    clients before running a large, expensive
    campaign.                                   4. Database marketing
                                                5. Postcard marketing
                                                6. Printing services
                                                7. Mailing services



Direct Mail: Vendors
Get started with direct mail with the following vendors:




Gladhandle.com                                  Fmidm.com
                                                                                            4
                                                                                            Promote Your Business


USPS.com                                        Harte-hanks.com




expresscopy.com                                 RoyalMail.com




PsPrint.com                                     MailSouth.com


                                                                                           47
Pay Per Click Advertising: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to implement pay-per-click marketing.


       Step 1
       Research Pay-Per-Click companies and choose one that suits your business.
       Step 2
       Decide how much you are willing to pay per click.
       Step 3
       Choose which key words you want your ad’s associated with, if the company
       you chose allows this.
       Step 4
       Pay the company you choose with the payment amount and type they require.
       Step 5
       Track your conversation rate for each ad and how successful each keyword is.




48 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                          Want to learn more?
♦   Obvious keywords are not always the        Search Google using the following search
    best keywords to use.                      phrases :
♦   Start slow, move forward once you are
    able to confirm which ads and keywords
    are the best.                              1. Pay per click advertising
♦   Always check the company’s statistics to   2. Pay per click management
    see how many people you will reach and
    if applicable what types of people you     3. Pay per click tools
    can reach.
                                               4. Pay per click tracking
                                               5. Pay per click rates
                                               6. Pay per click setup




Pay Per Click Advertising: Vendors
Get started with pay per click advertising with the following vendors:




adwords.google.com                             eZanga.com                                  4
                                                                                           Promote Your Business


                                               Clicksor.com
searchmarketing.yahoo.com




Miva.com                                       SearchGalore.com



Findology.com                                  Mirago.com




                                                                                          49
Affiliate Marketing: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to increase traffic to your site through affiliate
       marketing.

       Step 1
       Select an appropriate affiliate marketing vendor.
       Step 2
       Display information about your affiliate program on your site.
       Step 3
       Provide affiliates with a special link to your site that they can display on their
       websites.
       Step 4
       Observe the increase in traffic to your site after the affiliate displays your link
       on their site.
       Step 5
       Reward affiliates with compensation. This can either be per sale, per click, or
       per lead.




50 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   Be aware that commissions can be costly.      Search Google using the following search
    Try to offer an attractive, yet reasonable    phrases :
    program to your affiliates.

♦   Know who your affiliates are! Sometimes
    affiliates may present false advertising      1. Performance Marketing
    about your site in order to gain commis-
    sion. This could result in an increase in     2. Pay-per-action Advertising
    complaints to your business, as well as a
    loss in revenue from potential customers.     3. Affiliate Networks
♦   Be sure your program clearly states that      4. Affiliate Management Companies
    the use of spam is prohibited. Many
    customers complain that affiliates abuse      5. Affiliate Shop
    spamming to try to generate traffic to
                                                  6. Pay-per-click Programs
    your site. This practice usually results in
    very negative reviews.




Affiliate Marketing: Vendors
Get started with affiliate marketing with the following vendors:




Azoogleads.com
                                                                                              4
                                                  cj.com                                      Promote Your Business


AffiliateTraction.com
                                                  LinkShare.com


AffiliateShop.com
                                                  clickxchange.com




AffiliateZone.com                                 DirectTrack.com


                                                                                             51
Blogvertising: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to advertise through online blogs.


       Step 1
       Create an account on a Blogging site mentioned on the preceding page.
       Step 2
       Write articles about your product.
       Step 3
       Upload articles to the blogging site and promote your articles.
       Step 4
       Search the site to find articles of competitors.




52 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                         Want to learn more?
♦   Be careful of responses you receive       Search Google using the following search
    from articles posted on these websites.   phrases :
    This information is open to anyone and
    everyone.

                                              1. A-listers
                                              2. Blog consultants
                                              3. Blog marketing
                                              4. Moblogging
                                              5. Faux blogs
                                              6. Retailer blogs




Blogvertising: Vendors
Get started with blogvertising with the following vendors:




                                                                                          4
                                                                                          Promote Your Business
Blogpulse.com                                 Digg.com




Technorati.com                                Blogsearch.google.com




                                                                                         53
Distributing Articles: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to draw publicity and bring traffic to your site by post-
       ing articles about your product or service on electronic article databases for
       free.
       Step 1
       Register with one of the electronic article databases with just your contact
       information, or log-in if already a member.
       Step 2
       Click ‘Submit Article’ which will bring you to a page asking certain informa-
       tion about your article such as category, summary, keywords, etc.
       Step 3
       Post your article by clicking submit or upload.

       Step 4
       Check back to ensure your article successfully passed staff inspection and is a
       posted article under the correct category.




54 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   Be sure to follow Guideline – they usu-       Search Google using the following search
    ally only allow submission of articles with   phrases :
    content, not just straight advertisements.

♦   Don’t post the first half on your website –
    Google downgrades sites with duplicate        1. Article Submission
    content.
                                                  2. Free Articles
                                                  3. Article Database




Distributing Articles: Vendors
Get started with distributing articles with the following vendors:




                                                                                              4
ArticleBiz.com                                                                                Promote Your Business
                                                  EzineArticles.com




ArticlesFactory.com
                                                  Articlecity.com




Articlesbase.com
                                                  FreeArticles.com


                                                                                             55
Internet Marketing: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to promote your company with online marketing:


       Step 1
       Contact an online marketing agency to see what services they provide.
       Step 2
       Choose the type of internet marketing service you wish to use.
       Step 3
       Pay the company you choose with the payment amount and type they require.
       Step 4
       Implement the service into your companies marketing section or track the
       advertisements you are provided with to see how well the marketing does.




56 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                         Want to learn more?
♦   Make sure the company you choose can       Search Google using the following search
    be trusted and is not a                    phrases :
    small startup company by unknown
    people.

♦   Try to find a company with statistics      1. Online Marketing
    backing up how many people you will
    reach with their marketing.                2. Search Engine Optimization
♦   Ask for a prototype of the ads that will   3. Social
    be used to promote your company.
                                               4. Emarketing
                                               5. Paid Search
                                               6.   Media Marketing




Internet Marketing: Vendors
Get started with internet marketing with the following vendors:




oneupweb.com                                   Sitebrand.com
                                                                                           4
                                                                                           Promote Your Business


VantageMedia.com                               DigitalGrit.com




Virante.com                                    icrossing.com




PageZero.com                                   ResponseMine.com




                                                                                          57
www.virginiasbdc.org
                 For aspiring entrepreneurs, emerging companies, or established firms, the
                  Virginia Small Business Development Centers is where business comes to
                   talk business. There are local centers throughout Virginia to help businesses
                    in their own communities.

                     Counseling, training, and information resources are the hallmarks of
                     the SBDC program. Most services are free and all SBDC services are
                     confidential.

                     Business owners can get assistance in a variety of areas including:
                            •   accounting
                            •   business planning
                            •   cash flow management
                            •   financing sources
                            •   government procurement
                            •   licensing and regulation information
                            •   marketing
                            •   SBA programs
                            •   start-up procedures

                     Business owners and managers can count on professional guidance,
                     experienced insight, and practical solutions from Virginia SBDC business
                     counselors.
                                         The Virginia SBDC Network is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business
                                         Administration, George Mason University—Mason Enterprise Center at the
                                         school of Public Policy, and local premier institutions. The Virginia SBDC is
                                         partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA’s funding
                                         is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. SBA funded
                                         programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.




58 |   The Online Business Guidebook
5             Track Your Performance


Once you have your online business up and running it may seem like you’re
on top of the virtual world. But, it’s important not to feel settled now that the
hard part is over. The issue of tracking your online performance is a key issue
that can either help or hurt your business in the long term. The internet is a
constantly evolving entity and flows according to consumer direction. This is
why it is crucial to consistently monitor not only the traffic for your website
but the financial data as well. Those businesses that track important consumer
data and how their own processes run are in the best position to spot any
weaknesses or irregularities that need addressing-information is key. The
good news is that there is a myriad of tools available to help you manage your
burgeoning online business.


         Internal Issue Tracking................................60
         Online Feedback and Survey Tools..............62
         Public Product Reviews..............................64
         Web Analytics............................................66
                                                                                     5
                                                                                     Track Your Performance




         Automatic Website Monitoring..................68




                                                                                    59
Internal Issue Tracking: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to track issues with software.


       Step 1
       Identify the problem(s) you are trying to track.
       Step 2
       Research available options for tracking problems.

       Step 3
       Compare vendors prices, solutions, and support.

       Step 4
       Contact the vendors to discuss the terms of purchase and service.
       Step 5
       Purchase product if it meets your criteria.




60 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                       Want to learn more?
♦   Be cautious of hidden fees.             Search Google using the following search
♦   Compare prices of competitors.          phrases :
♦   Open source solutions may be free but
    usually lack software support.
                                            1. Process Tracking
                                            2. Bug Tracking
                                            3.   Issue Tracking
                                            4. Problem Tracking Software
                                            5. Software Bug Tracking
                                            6. Open-Source Issue Tracking Soft-
                                               ware




Internal Issue Tracking: Vendors
Get started with internal issue tracking with the following vendors:




Bugzilla.org                                Kayako.com
                                                                                        5
                                                                                        Track Your Performance




trac.edgewall.org                           Basecamphq.com




Mantisbt.org                                Fogbugz.com




osTicket.com                                Cerberusweb.com


                                                                                       61
Online Feedback/Survey Tools: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to create professional online surveys quickly and easily.


       Step 1
       Create your survey using your chosen vendor.
       Step 2
       Select from many different types of questions, such as multiple choice, rating
       scales, drop-down menus, and more.

       Step 3
       Customize your survey by changing the color, size, and style of any element in
       your survey.
       Step 4
       Collect your responses. You will have the option to stop collection automati-
       cally when you reach a date or response count that you specify.
       Step 5
       View your results as they are collected in real-time. Use filtering options to
       display the responses you’re most interested in.




62 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   For each question in your survey, make        Search Google using the following search
    sure it addresses the content you are         phrases :
    looking for and avoid “loaded” questions,
    or questions that are obviously biased.

♦   Be sure that the respondent will have         1. Survey design tools
    enough information to answer each
    question, and that the question is specific   2. Online survey software
    enough.
                                                  3.   Survey form software
♦   Think about whether the respondent will
    have any difficulty answering the ques-       4. Online research solutions
    tion truthfully. If there is some reason
    why they may not, rephrase the question.      5. Survey creation tools
                                                  6. Online survey wizard




Online Feedback/Survey Tools: Vendors
Get started with online feedback with the following vendors:




Surveymonkey.com                                  Zoomerang.com

                                                                                              5
Vovici.com
                                                                                              Track Your Performance




                                                  Keysurvey.com




Articulate.com                                    Foreseeresults.com




E-rewards.com                                     Kampyle.com


                                                                                             63
Public Product Reviews: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to obtain feedback on your business and analyze com-
       petitors.
       Step 1
       Direct your browser to one of the product reviewing websites listed alongside.
       These websites allow consumers to compare similar items for sale across differ-
       ent vendors while voicing their own opinion. Depending on the chosen web-
       site offering user reviews, public ratings can be given and viewed for specific
       products, companies, services, locations, and much more.
       Step 2
       Browse user reviews for a general understanding of consumer opinions on
       different businesses or brands. Take note of aggregate ratings of all relevant
       competitors offering similar products.
       Step 3
       Determine which vendor offers the most compatible review solutions for
       your company and product before making a purchase. Merchants offering
       this service may charge one initial integration fee as well as month-to-month
       subscription fees.
       Step 4
       Specify the criteria with which you would like users to evaluate products
       featured on your website and design the rating features to match the look and
       feel of your website.
       Step 5
       Obtain further consumer opinions by hosting a costumer forum on your
       website.
       Step 6
       Download a customer forum software package from the vendors provided and
       pay any license fees applicable.
       Step 7
       Install the software provided, and follow the instructions given by the com-
       pany to customize settings, security, and appearance. Continue to encourage
       customers to sign-up and create new threads and discussions.




64 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Forums are a great way for customers to      Search Google using the following search
    communicate, but they are also a prime       phrases :
    target for web-crawlers and spammers.
    To prevent spamming, IT administrators
    need to configure the security features of
    the forums including membership sign-        1. Product Reviews and Reports
    up, and posting.
                                                 2. Satisfaction Ratings
♦   When allowing users to post on your
    website, you may wish to restrict features   3. Compare Store Prices
    to members who have a record of
                                                 4. Rating Websites
    purchasing the product in question from
    your website. Installing a verification      5. Product Ratings
    system along with your review features
    ensures that accurate and reliable feed-     6. Internet Forums
    back is coming to you.




Public Product Reviews: Vendors
Get started with product reviews with the following vendors:


Viewing Product Reviews:                         Hosting Product Reviews and Cus-
                                                 tomer Forums:



Epinions.com
                                                 ReeVoo.com                                  5
                                                                                             Track Your Performance




Yelp.com
                                                 PowerReviews.com



Ratings.net
                                                 GetVanilla.com




                                                 phpbb.com



                                                                                            65
Web Analytics: Quicksteps
       Web analytics software helps you determine who is coming to your site, where
       they came from, and what they visit on your site. Follow these easy steps to
       successfully deploy analytics software.
       Step 1
       Determine your budget for implementing analytics software. Many companies
       offer free services at the expense of less statistical information and customiza-
       tion.
       Step 2
       Review samples and demo’s of the analytics software. Review the type of
       information that will be reported to ensure you will be getting the necessary
       graphs and statistical information to improve traffic to your website. Be certain
       that the services you are paying for contain the reports and models you are
       expecting.
       Step 3
       Insert the necessary code to your website that will enable the analytics soft-
       ware to begin processing traffic and trends.
       Step 4
       Analyze the information provided by the web analytics software. Review what
       each statistical feature reports and how it reports to accurately interpret the
       information.




66 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                            Want to learn more?
♦   Be certain that the code inserted into        Search Google using the following search
    your website is accurately analyzing          phrases :
    information from all your web pages.

♦   Understand and research what the analy-
    sis means. Ask or read the documenta-         1. Web analytics
    tion provided by the website. Inaccurately
    interpreting the information provided by      2. Website analysis
    the software can lead to false decisions
    that could negatively affect your business.   3. Web statistics
                                                  4. Website tracking




Web Analytics: Vendors
Get started with web analytics with the following vendors:




Unica.com
                                                  Omniture.com
                                                                                              5
                                                                                              Track Your Performance




Visistat.com                                      Livefluence.com




WebTrends.com
                                                  ClickTracks.com




tealeaf.com                                       OneStat.com


                                                                                             67
Automatic Website Monitoring: Quicksteps
       Automatic website monitoring helps you determine when your site is down
       or slow and act quickly to avoid losing customers to competitors. Follow these
       easy steps to get started with automatic website monitoring.


       Step 1
       Understand what services you will require on your website.
       Step 2
       Research potential vendors. Many vendors offer free limited services.
       Step 3
       Pick the solution that is right for you.




68 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                          Want to learn more?
♦   Don’t buy extra features that you don’t     Search Google using the following search
    require.                                    phrases :
♦   Find the solution that meets your budget.

♦   A malfunctioning website can turn off
                                                1.   Web Monitoring
    potential customers from your products
    and services.                               2.   Web Service Monitoring
                                                3. Web page statistics
                                                4. Web server stats
                                                5. DNS server monitoring
                                                6. Uptime monitoring




Automatic Website Monitoring: Vendors
Get started with automatic website monitoring with the following vendors:




AlertSite.com
                                                uptrends.com
                                                                                            5
                                                                                            Track Your Performance




keynote.com                                     YouMonitor.com




                                                SecurityMetrics.com
DejaClick.com


                                                Webmetrics.com
siteuptime.com


                                                                                           69
70 |   The Online Business Guidebook
6            Complete Your
               Administration

Once you have finished the previous steps, the final stage in developing your
online business is to complete your administration. This includes finding easy
to use accounting software to keep track of all your money. Furthermore,
you must take care of your taxes. If you have any employees, you must also
figure out a payroll system that is best for your company. Once these steps are
accomplished, you are ready to launch your new, successful online business!


         Accounting, Taxes, and Payroll...................72




                                                                                   6
                                                                                   Complete Your Administration




                                                                                  71
Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll: Quicksteps
       Follow these easy steps to complete the administrative functions of your com-
       pany.


       Step 1
       Choose accounting software the suits the needs of your company, and install
       the software on your computer(s). Many accounting software packages help
       you track sales and expenses, and collect data on customers, vendors, and em-
       ployees in an organized fashion.
       Step 2
       Apply for your Employee Identification Number (EIN). The IRS requires
       employers to have an EIN so the government can identify the business and
       track its federal payroll taxes.

       Step 3
       Choose a payroll method. The two most common methods are using software
       to do payroll yourself or outsourcing payroll to a third-party service.
       Step 4
       File a W-4 form and an I-9 form for each employee. The W-4 form will tell
       you how many allowances the employee is claiming and is necessary in estab-
       lishing how much federal income tax to withhold from that employee. The I-9
       form will verify your employee’s eligibility to work in the United States.
       Step 5
       Calculate your Federal and State taxes.




72 |     The Online Business Guidebook
CAUTION!                           Want to learn more?
♦   Beware of hackers! Make sure your            Search Google using the following search
    vendor makes security one of their most      phrases :
    important priorities.

♦   For each employee, the employer must
    also pay a percentage to Social Security,    1. Payroll tax forms
    Medicare, workers’ compensation insur-
    ance, and other payroll taxes.               2. Payroll reports
♦   In most cases, you won’t have to send        3. Tax Programs
    W-4 and I-9 forms to the IRS unless it
    is specifically requested that you do so.    4. Accounting Software
    However, you must have a W-4 on file
    for each employee until 4 years after the    5. Bookkeeping Software
    employee has left the business. You must
                                                 6. Filing taxes
    also keep the I-9 form on file for 3 years
    after the employee’s hire date.




Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll: Vendors
Get started with accounting, taxes, and payroll with the following vendors:




                                                 Intacct.com
Quickbooks.com




Blinksale.com                                    TurboTax.com
                                                                                             6
                                                                                             Complete Your Administration




                                                 CheckPoint.com
freefile.com




paychex.com                                      PayCycle.com


                                                                                            73
Business starts, stops and grows here.




        Whether you’re launching a new venture, negotiating with investors,
        entering into employment agreements or even buying or selling a business,

        look to LeClairRyan. As a legal practice initially formed as a venture capital
        boutique, we have significant experience and long-standing ties to the
        venture capital and business communities to help you find the right

        solution. Our attorneys understand the business of business and are ready
        to assist you. For more information, call Jeff Mitchell at 540.961.2600.




                                    w w w. L E C L A I R R y A N . C O M


       CALIFORNIA  CONNECTICUT  MAssAChUsETTs  MIChIgAN  NEw JERsEy

                 N E w yO R k  P E N N s y LVA N I A  V I R g I N I A  wA s h I N gT O N , D . C .



74 | The Online Business Guidebook
LCR0295_OnlineBizGuideAd.indd 1                                                                         5/29/09 5:57:23 PM
Starting an Online Business
Starting an Online Business

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Starting an Online Business

  • 1. The Online Business Guidebook Fall 2009 START HERE The essential guide to starting your online business
  • 2. Third-Party Information This guide contains links to third-party websites that are not under the control of The Online Business Guidebook, and The Online Business Guidebook is not responsible for the content on any linked site. If you access a third-party website mentioned in this guide, then you do so at your own risk. The Online Business Guidebook provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of the link does not imply that The Online Business Guidebook endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content on those third-party sites. Further, readers should be aware that web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Use of third-party logos in the listings in this guidebook is for educational purposes only and does necessarily imply endorsement of or by these third-parties, nor does it necessarily imply affiliation with the third-party. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty The publisher, authors, and contributors make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher, authors, and contributors, are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher, nor the authors or contributors, shall be liable to any party for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use of this work, or any derivatives thereof, even if the authors have been advised of the possibility of such damage. Copyright © 2009 by The Online Business Guidebook. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or distributed without prior written permission by the author. All trademarks printed herein are property of their respective owners. First Edition: Fall 2009 The Online Business Guidebook 125 N. Main St. #233 Blacksburg, VA 24060 1.888.695.9551 www.businessguidebook.org
  • 3. Table of Contents 1 Establish Your Business 7 Registering Your Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Registering Your Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Register a 1-800 Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Create Your Logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Competitor Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2 Develop Your Product 19 Graphic Design & Web Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Web Content Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Outsourcing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 3 Sell Your Product 27 Sales Force Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Buyers & Suppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Shopping Carts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Call Center & IVR Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Payment Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Outsourced Fulfillment: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 4 Promote Your Business 41 Purchasing Prospects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Email Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Direct Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Pay-Per-Click Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Affiliate Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Blogvertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Distributing Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Internet Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Table of Contents | 1
  • 4. 5 Track Your Performance 59 Internal Issue Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Online Feedback/Survey Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Public Product Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Web Analytics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Automatic Website Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 6 Complete Your Administration 71 Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 2 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 5. Acknowledgments Mike Levisay CEO Chris VanEvery Executive Director Alan Abrahams Faculty Advisor Publishing Team Tirna Singh Megan Wright Jason Finnell James Milholen Kyle O’Neal Joe Bonfiglio Philip Kempton Kara Nicole Batt Andrea Lovett Sales Team Lauren Taylor Drew Kahle David Starler Sara DiMantova Mike Knoth Damon Silva Caryn English Kristin English Carrick Hines Finance Team Anthony Wu Chris Perry Richard Hardy Corey Whisker David Hudzinski Kenneth Black Roger Akins Andrew Barnes Website Development Team William Lindner Sean Elble Bharat Khanna John Flores Greg Seador Cheerag Patel Marketing Team Jeff Barry Shannon Jones Drew Ernest Wesley Jackson Friedrich Vogel Jr. Jeremy Liu Sarah Smith Contributors A.J. DiLorenzo Graham Hudgins Nathan Moon J.J. Gregoric Chris Dixon Constatine Papanas- Alan Ma R.J. Stanley tasiou The Online Business Guidebook thanks the following corporate sponsors for their generous support of this edition Progress Printing Deloitte Special Thanks to: Mark White, Jon Taillon, Jeanie Darlington Advisory Committee James Dubinsky Student Engagement Eva Brumberger Print Writing Carlos Evia Web Writing Truman Capone Visual Design Gary Kinder Careers and Recruiting Lynn Nystrom Engineering Kari Adkins Advisory Philip Martin Financial Advice Jigar Doshi Advisory Bruce Philips Legal Services Special Thanks Phill Stevens Layout Design Pat McCarthy Corporate Relations Sookhan Ho Publicity Tracy McCoy Administration Ellen Krupar Information Steven D. Smith Advisory Bernard Taylor Sponsorship
  • 6. Preparing students for global business challenges InnovatIon The Pamplin College of Business ■ Our undergraduate program is ranked among the nation’s 50 best business schools. ■ Pamplin students manage more than $8 million of Virginia Tech’s endowment through investments in stocks and fixed-income securities. ■ The college sponsors several study-abroad programs to Africa, Asia, and Europe each year. For more information about the Pamplin College of Business, call 540/231-6601 or visit www.pamplin.vt.edu. www.pamplin.vt.edu
  • 7. Tell Us Your Story How has the Online Business Guidebook helped you supercharge your online business? Tell us your success story for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue, on our website, or in our publicity! Register online at: businessguidebook.org/success-stories Get Great Deals Get future updates, discounts and deals by registering your copy of The Online Business Guidebook at businessguidebook.org/register Enter the code: OBGFall09 Advertise With Us Promote your business by advertising in The Online Business Guidebook. For more information, visit businessguidebook.org/advertise, email sales@ businessguidebook.org or call 888.695.9551. Distributors & Resellers Corporations or associations interested in purchasing custom-wrapped prints of the guidebook, or resellers interested in obtaining copies for retail sale (minimum order 1,000 copies), should visit businessguidebook.org/distribute or e-mail distribute@businessguidebook.org. Table of Contents | 5
  • 8. HOW DO YOU FOLLOW-UP WITH A NEW CONTACT? DO YOU SEND A PLAIN OLD EMAIL? ITING OR AN EXC ETING! EMAIL GRE TM NSE THAT G ETS A RESPO FOLLOW-UP t’s inbox. in your contac Don’t get lost ded Email nd them bran Stand out! Se ness. gned for busi Greetings desi t today at a free accoun It’s easy! Get No credit andle.com. www.gladh to get started. card required E BG BOOK, ROMO COD M, ENTER P HANDLE.CO WWW.GLAD GS FOR FRE E! SIGN UP AT IL GREETIN AND GET 10 EMA
  • 9. 1 Establish Your Business Itching to start your new online business? First, you’ll need to register your business with the federal and state governments, and register your website. To make it easier for customers to reach you and enhance your business credibil- ity, you might want to purchase a 1-800 number. Finally, build your brand by getting yourself a logo that makes your business more unique and noticeable. 1 Establish Your Business Register your business...............................8 Register your website................................10 Register your 1-800 number......................12 Create your logo.........................................14 7
  • 10. Registering Your Business: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to register your business. Step 1 Determine which type of legal entity you wish to become - a Sole Proprietorship, a General Partnership, a Limited Partnership, a Limited Liability Corporation, a Corporation or an S Corporation. Use information provided from the vendors below to help determine which is best for your business. Step 2 Look to see if the desired name for your legal entity is available and is not already taken by another corporation. Step 3 Check quotes from the vendors listed below to determine the best price for incorporating in legal entity type of your choice in the state of your choosing. Step 4 Choose the appropriate vendor and then submit the necessary information about your business to the vendor. Step 5 Receive the completed documents and submit them to the appropriate offices. Many of the vendors listed alongside will save you the hassle by submitting the relevant documents to the appropriate authorities on your behalf. 8 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 11. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Look at state incorporation laws when Search Google using the following search determining where to incorporate your phrases : business. Some states have more favor- able incorporation laws than others; however, if you do business in states outside of the state of your incorporation, 1. Register your business you may have to pay extra fees. 2. Form your LLC ♦ Do you have a registered agent for your business? If you register as a corporation 3. Register business name or as a Limited Liability Corporation, all 4. Registering a business online states require your corporation to have a registered agent. Many of the vendors 5. Incorporating a business 1 which provide services to register as a business also provide registered agent 6. Registered agent services. Establish Your Business Registering Your Business: Vendors Get started with registering your business with the following vendors: IncFile.com MyNewCompany.com LegalZoom.com InstaCorp.com AilCorp.com Corporate.com om BizFilings.com ClickAndInc.com 9
  • 12. Registering Your Website: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to register your website. Step 1 Conduct a WhoIs lookup to determine if the web domain address you wish to purchase is available. A WhoIs search can be conducted at the vendor websites below. Step 2 Register your domain name with one of the vendors listed below. Step 3 Pay the monthly fee to keep your domain name registered. Step 4 Pay additional fees if you would like for a vendor to provide additional services such as an e-mail domain name or web hosting services. Step 5 Place content on your website by either using tools from the vendor or by us- ing your own web development tools. 10 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 13. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Ensure that the name of your business Search Google using the following search and the name of your web domain are phrases : consistent. ♦ Many of the vendors which provide domain names additionally provide web 1. Web registration hosting services. See if you can get the two together as a package and potentially 2. Domain name comparison save money. 3. Domain Name Availability ♦ Make sure you pick an appropriate extension for your web domain. 4. Domain Name Lookup 5. Domain Name Affiliates 6. Domain Name Check 1 Establish Your Business Registering Your Website: Vendors Get started with registering your website with the following vendors: Whois.net steadfast.net NetworkSolutions.com Verio.com Register.com 1and1.com GoDaddy.com americaneagle.com 11
  • 14. Register a 1-800 Number: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to acquire your own 1-800-Number, for your business, online: Step 1 Visit one of the sites below, and view their many service options. Most companies offer a variety of different phone plans. Step 2 Pick the plan that seems to best fit your needs. Step 3 Sign up for a free trial if offered. These tend to be the best way to see if a plan is the right one for your business. Step 4 Pay whatever monthly or yearly fees apply. Make sure to double check ahead of time to know what your rates will be. Step 5 Monitor all your new incoming calls, and reply to them as soon as possible. 12 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 15. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Shop around, and make sure to compare Search Google using the following search prices on rates. There are lots of options phrases : out there. ♦ As with all phone plans, read carefully for hidden fees. 1. 1-800 Numbers ♦ If you opt to acquire receptionist services, 2. 1-800 Dialers check to see where the receptionists are stationed. Many customers prefer local, 3. Online Phone Service U.S.-based tech support. 4. Business numbers ♦ Always be careful, and monitor your minute usage, if you get a plan that lacks 5. Receptionists Services ♦ unlimited minutes. Lastly, make sure to purchase these ser- vices with a business bank account, and 6. Online Business Phone Systems 1 not your personal one. Establish Your Business Register a 1-800 Number: Vendors Get started with registering your 1-800 number with the following vendors: Ringcentral.com VoiceNation.com Dial800.com ReceptionHQ.com Phonepeople.com Kall8.com FreedomVoice.com 13
  • 16. Create Your Logo: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to create a customized logo for your company. Step 1 Choose among the many logo creation providers listed below. Step 2 Search for the package that looks right for you. This will be based on how many logo concepts, stationary logo designs, revisions, and other services requested such as brochures or business cards. Step 3 Sign-up at their website with your personal and company information. Step 4 Give input. You will be asked preferences or ideas about the logo concept you would like created for your company. Logo designers will incorporate your ideas in a customized solution. Step 5 Buy the logo! The logo creators will work with you to create your custom design, but you’ll have to give them the money to do it. Prices can often range from $100 to over $1,000. 14 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 17. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be sure you know exactly what you are Search Google using the following search getting for the money you are giving. phrases : ♦ Create consistency throughout your com- pany to create a brand (your logo, web design, promotional material). 1. Logo Design ♦ Colors have meaning - be sure you have 2. Custom Logos colors that instill the correct emotion or concept. 3. Logo Creation 4. Custom Logo Branding 5. Create Logo Designs 6. Design Your Logo 1 Establish Your Business Create Your Logo: Vendors Get started with creating your logo with the following vendors: Logoyes.com Gladhandle.com Logoworks.com Logobee.com Logocare.com Volusion.com Businesslogo.net Networksolutions.com 15
  • 18. Competitor Analysis: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to automatically track your competitors. Step 1 Try a demo of one of the products designed to automatically track informa- tion about your competitors, provided by the vendors listed alongside. Step 2 Choose the software that best fits the needs of your business from one of the vendors. Step 3 Purchase the software and the appropriate amount of licenses needed. Step 4 Install the software on a computer where information about competitors will be monitored, or use the software online. Step 5 Analyze the reports and digital dashboards created by the software to help de- termine how your brand is performing against the brands of your competitors. 16 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 19. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ The cost per license to use the software Search Google using the following search may decrease based on the amount of phrases : licenses you purchase. ♦ Ensure that you have enough licenses of the software to legally cover all employ- 1. Consumer trends ees who will use the software. 2. Brand marketing solution 3. Media monitoring industry 4. Competitive Intelligence Software 5. Media monitoring and analysis 6. Real time business intelligence 1 Establish Your Business Competitor Analysis: Vendors Get started with competitor analysis with the following vendors: Google.com/alerts BuzzLogic.com IslandData.com Umbria.com AndiamoSystems.com QL2.com BrandIntel.com RelevantNoise.com 17
  • 20. 18 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 21. 2 Develop Your Product One of the most important steps you must take in the beginning phase of starting your online business is to develop the product or service you wish to market and sell. A fair amount of research and planning should be done to ensure you have a clear vision for your product and reason to believe you can market it successfully. Once you have decided on the ingredients or materials needed for your product, a well-made prototype will help you acquire the resources you will need to grow your business. After you have developed a basic prototype you can begin focusing on the visuals you feel will establish a strong online presence for your business and product. This chapter highlights the many different areas in which portraying a professional image will enhance the likelihood that consumers will trust your brand. Every visual element associated with your business must be relevant to the message you wish to 2 send out to others about your company. From customizing your product to Develop Your Product designing your website, remaining consistent amongst colors, fonts, styles, and other visual elements involved leaves an influential impression on potential customers. As this chapter will discuss, there are various options available for generating the aesthetics involved with your business. While acquiring software and learning new tools may be convenient for some, others may wish to outsource any or all pertinent design work to a professional company. Deciding exactly what your design needs will be and researching all options available will allow you to move forward in creating a professional image for your company. Graphic Design and Web Development.....20 Web Content Management.......................22 Outsourcing..............................................24 19
  • 22. Graphic Design & Web Development: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps for designing a website for your company. Step 1 Decide what your graphic design needs are, and will be for the near future. Match the graphic design needs you came up with and the capabilities of the product tools and packages offered by the companies below. In addition to outsourcing design work, various software applications can be used to aid in the design of artwork as needed for your website, printed materials, logo designs, packaging customization, etc. Step 2 Determine if your company would like to use original artwork or additional graphic resources for any part of your website or product design. Purchasing stock photos to display on your website or throughout product demos can improve the professionalism of your brand. Step 3 Understand the difference between royalty-free and rights-managed contracts when purchasing images. Step 4 Decide whether you would like create a website by your own means or through outsourcing the work to another company and select a vendor that offers customized website design or templates. Step 5 Describe the job you need done if you choose to have a customized website created. Through a series of calls and emails, both you and the vendor will be able to come to an agreement on what it is that needs to be done to help you kick start your company, or improve upon what you’ve already built. Step 6 Purchase the service, package, or images that fulfill your website and graphic design needs. 20 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 23. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ When purchasing a graphic design tool, Search Google using the following search be sure to check usability. phrases : ♦ When dealing with stock photos, licens- ing agreements may have specifications about when and how the item can be 1. Graphic Design Tools used, where you may display the image, and what projects you may use them for. 2. Stock Photos All of these factors will vary depending on whether your image is royalty free or 3. Royalty Free Images rights managed. 4. Rights Managed Images ♦ Free web template providers typically offer limited or no support for their 5. Website Templates products. Be sure to read the terms of use 6. Web Design Services before using a template. Graphic Design & Web Development: Vendors Get started with your graphic design with the following vendors: 2 Develop Your Product Graphic Design and Stock Photos: Custom Web Development: Quark.com Sendtec.com Inkscape.com Acadaca.com JupiterImages.com Usi.com Gettyimages.com 21
  • 24. Web Content Management: Quicksteps Content management systems help you easily manage the content on your website, without requiring you to have any computer programming skills. Fol- low these easy steps to easily manage the content of your website. Step 1 Determine which type of web content management system you need: offline, online, or hybrid. Step 2 Decide whether you will use a free (open-source) content management sys- tem, or pay for a commercial one. Step 3 Register with your content management system provider. Step 4 Download the CMS from the vendor’s website, install it, and get started! 22 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 25. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ As with anything in life, you get what Search Google using the following search you pay for. If you use a free CMS, you phrases : will not have as much support if you run into issues. However, the CMS open- source community is thriving, and many of the providers offer excellent support. 1. Web CMS ♦ Be sure to carefully read the licensing 2. Content management system agreements for each CMS, as each varies from the rest. 3. CMS web tools 4. Open source web CMS 5. Web 2.0 CMS 6. Web hosting CMS Web Content Management: Vendors Get started with your graphic design with the following vendors: 2 Develop Your Product Mamboserver.com Joomla.org Plone.org Zope.org Radiantcms.org Drupal.org 23
  • 26. Outsourcing: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to outsource the work for your website. Step 1 Register one of the sites listed on the next page and then look for their Em- ployer Section. Step 2 Search the site for possible freelancers that meet your needs, or… Step 3 Post a project or job description. Many sites offer the option to list your spe- cific needs via their webpage for freelancers registered with their site. Step 4 Request a quote. It may take a little while for the individuals you request a price quote from to get back to you, but it shouldn’t take too long. Step 5 Pay the freelancer via whatever site you have contracted him or her through. 24 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 27. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Make sure to read the terms of service Search Google using the following search carefully for unexplained fees. phrases : ♦ There is never a 100% guarantee that the people you contact through a vendor will do the job you ask. Always check the 1. Outsourcing references or credentials freelancers post. 2. Freelancer ♦ Each freelancer sets his own price as well as the comission of the host site, so 3. Contract worker double check rate information.. 4. Graphic Designer ♦ Look for sites that offer free service for employers and Safe Pay options to 5. Programmer ensure that transactions are completed as securely as possible. Outsourcing: Vendors Get started with your outsourcing with the following vendors: 2 Develop Your Product RentACoder.com Guru.com E-lance.com GetAFreelancer.com 25
  • 28. www.vdba.virginia.gov Click on our website to access other services we offer: Business Sales Growth Seminars and Entrepreneur Express Workshops One-on-One Technical Assistance The Virginia Business Information Center Virginia Jobs Investment Program Virginia Small Business Financing Authority : 26 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 29. 3 Sell Your Product The following section contains valuable information to help your business sell your product. An appealing website and a safe and secure online payment processing system have come to be standard requirements for today’s online consumer. In this chapter, a variety of methods to help you sell your product are discussed in detail, from adding a shopping cart component to your website, to outsourcing your entire businesses order fulfillment needs. Many of the methods discussed are very simple to implement for any small business, and will surely enhance the online shopping experience of your potential buyers. In addition, the easier and more cost efficient it is to sell your product, the more resources you can use to invest in other areas and aspects of your business. Continue reading to discover what your business can do to make selling your product that much easier, and effective. Sales Force Automation............................28 3 Sell Your Product Finding Buyers and Resellers....................30 Shopping Carts.........................................32 Call Center and IVR Service.......................34 Payment Processing.................................36 Outsourced Fulfillment............................38 27
  • 30. Sales Force Automation: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to integrate a sales force automation system into your business. Step 1 Decide if your company is in need of software that will automatically record every stage of your online sale process. Implementing an SFA system into your business can aid in tasks such as inventory control, sales processing, order tracking, and customer management. Step 2 Research the type of SFA system you wish to purchase. Various companies of- fer pre-made packages while others offer customizable solutions that allow you to select specific tools you would like to include in your software. Step 3 Select an SFA software vendor from the list alongside. Step 4 Integrate your SFA system with any existing Customer Relationship Man- agement system you may have and provide an online method for consumers to place orders with you. Step 5 Use the data recorded from all sales made to forecast future sales, create reports, and analyze the productivity of any sales representatives that may be a part of the ordering process. Step 6 React to the information you have gathered. According to the data you ana- lyze, this may include developing or eliminating new products, adjusting parts of the sales process, and many other possible measures for improvement. 28 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 31. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ When choosing a sales force automation Search Google using the following search solution, take into account the training phrases : that will be needed for your sales staff to operate the software. Some vendors may offer training programs in addition to their solutions. 1. Sales Force Automation ♦ Be sure that the sales automation soft- 2. Marketing Automation ware you purchase for your business will be compatible with your company’s exist- 3. CRM Automation ing software and operating system. 4. SFA Software 5. SOA 6. SaaS Sales Force Automation: Vendors Get started with sales force automation with the following vendors: 3 Gladhandle.com Salesforce.com Sell Your Product Netsuite.com Soffront.com Consona.com Sugarcrm.com 29
  • 32. Buyers & Suppliers: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to find buyers and ingredient suppliers for your com- pany. Step 1 Register with one of the Wholesaler Listing networks displayed below. If you are a supplier, listing your company and product information is a great way to promote your product or service to potential buyers. If you are a buyer, browsing these networks for suppliers of a particular product can ensure your business finds the right supplier at the right price. Step 2 Pay the monthly, yearly, or one-time fee required by the organization to open up an account for your business. An account will grant you access to impor- tant supplier information, such as product availability and pricing, in addition to various terms and conditions for each supplier listed. Step 3 Browse through the hundreds of suppliers listed on the network to find the specific ingredients your business needs. Be sure to be thorough in your re- search as there can be many suppliers selling the same products or services. Step 4 Contact potential suppliers through the Wholesaler Listing network to setup and negotiate a new business relationship. 30 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 33. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Look for wholesaler networks with the Search Google using the following search right subscription plan for your business. phrases : Most offer a monthly, yearly, or a one- time fee. ♦ Be sure to thoroughly research what 1. Wholesale listings types of products the wholesaler network has listed. Know what types of suppliers 2. Finding suppliers are available before subscribing and pay- ing the fees. 3. Manufacturing supplies ♦ While the wholesaler network will 4. Global trade provide information about the companies listed, a direct phone call to the company 5. Supply wholesalers can be very helpful to learn more about each supplier before beginning negotia- tions. Buyers & Suppliers: Vendors Get started with finding buyers and ingredient suppliers with the following vendors: 3 Alibaba.com Thomasnet.com Sell Your Product Globalsources.com Tradekey.com Buyerzone.com Wholesalecentral.com 31
  • 34. Shopping Carts: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to include a shopping cart on your website. Step 1 Sign up for one of the commercial shopping carts listed on the following page. Step 2 Pay for any initial set up fees and be aware of any additional monthly fees. Step 3 Follow the online shopping cart’s directions and install their software on your website server. The shopping cart system will allow you to easily add products to your online product catalogue, by uploading product pictures, and filling in product details and pricing. Step 4 Accept online payments from your customer. Be aware that some shopping carts may charge you a percentage of the total sale. Step 5 Monitor your sales using the shopping cart software, to see which products are your best sellers, which customers are your most valuable, and which pro- motions are your most successful. 32 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 35. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Commercial shopping carts often include Search Google using the following search technical support. Be sure to pick one phrases : that has free technical support. ♦ Choose a shopping cart that will fit your needs and is secure. Sometimes the 1. Commercial Shopping Carts cheapest one isn’t always the best one! 2. Best Online Shopping Carts ♦ Be wary of hidden fees; some shopping carts have low monthly fees, but charge a 3. Online Shopping Carts higher percentage on each sale. 4. Online Shopping Cart Software 5. Internet Shopping Carts 6. Web Shopping Carts Shopping Carts: Vendors Get started with shopping carts with the following vendors: 3 Sell Your Product X-cart.com Productcart.com 1shoppingcart.com goEcart.com 3dcart.com Cubecart.com cart32.com 33
  • 36. Call Center & IVR Support: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to manage effective communication with customers. Step 1 Sign up with one of the Live Chat vendors listed alongside. Providing this communication service allows you to interact with customers through your website to aid them in any questions or concerns they may have while brows- ing your site. Step 2 Pay any applicable usage fees which may vary based on service type and scope. Some features you may wish to include in the package you purchase are the ability to keep transcripts of previous chats, visitor tracking solutions, and tools to better manage and react to this data. Step 3 Implement the Live Chat component into your website and create the option for site visitors to contact an agent. Step 4 Provide an efficient method of communicating with customers by phone. Using Interactive Voice Response technology handles large call volumes and allows callers to interact with an automated system over the phone. Common uses of an IVR include electronic voice mail systems and an automated at- tendant that may direct the caller to their desired destination through a series of menu options. Step 5 Decide if you would like to outsource all or some of your customer service interactions to an external company specializing in call center solutions. Step 6 Sign up with one of the call centers listed alongside based on which vendor offers services that best support your companies’ objectives. Provide the vendor with everything they must know to assist customers appropriately and give your company a good reputation. Step 7 Integrate your IVR system as the front-end to the call center. Processing and clerical times will be greatly reduced as information can be taken over the phone and calls can be directed appropriately from the beginning. 34 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 37. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Many live chat services may be imple- Search Google using the following search mented via applets or Java programs that phrases : may require your customers to download plug-ins. If you feel this may upset or discourage your customers, look for a strictly HTML based chat platform. 1. Online customer service software ♦ When outsourcing call solutions, sign 2. Chat support software a confidentiality agreement, as this will help keep your business competitive and 3. Hosted Interactive Voice Response prevent the call center from using tech- 4. Online tech support chat niques learned from your business and applying it to your competitors. 5. Interactive voice response software 6. Call center solutions Call Center & IVR Support: Vendors Get started with communicating with customers using the following vendors: Live Chat and Call Center: Interactive Voice Response: 3 Instantservice.com Voxeo.com Sell Your Product Livefluence.com Angel.com 24-7intouch.com att.com 35
  • 38. Payment Processing: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to accept credit card payments online. Step 1 Sign up with one of the credit card payment processing vendors listed along- side. Step 2 Pay the monthly fee, if applicable, charged by the payment processing vendor (typically around $20 per month). Step 3 Insert the program code provided by the payment processing vendor into your company’s order acceptance web-page. This code will typically be emailed to you, along with instructions, but you may require assistance from a program- mer if the integration with your website is complex. Step 4 Accept online purchases from your customers. The vendor will typically charge you a small per transaction fee, and forward the remaining cash to your ac- count. 36 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 39. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Look for a vendor with no monthly, Search Google using the following search setup, or gateway fees. phrases : ♦ Pay attention to the various online payment methods companies may offer. Some may only accept credit cards, while 1. Payment processing others may allow for electronic check payments and recurring billing as well. 2. Credit card processing ♦ You are responsible for charge-backs: 3. Authorize credit cards these occur when one of your customers fails to pay their credit card bill after you 4. Credit card authorization have shipped the order to the customer. Some payment processing vendors pro- 5. Accept payments vide additional software, typically at extra 6. Online payments cost, to help you detect problem custom- ers before expensive charge-backs occur. Payment Processing: Vendors Get started with payment processing with the following vendors: 3 Sell Your Product Google.com/checkout Authorize.net Paypal.com achdirect.com 37
  • 40. Outsourced Fulfillment: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to outsource your company’s order fulfillment services. Step 1 Search for one of the vendors providing order fulfillment services listed along- side. Step 2 Decide what product or solution best fits your company’s needs. Outsourced fulfillment vendors provide a variety of services such as various order fulfill- ment tasks, packaging and shipping, as well as real-time inventory updates. Step 3 Contact the company by filling out an online contact or request form or by calling their telephone number to request a quote for the product or service desired. Step 4 Wait to be contacted by the company. The fulfillment vendor will notify you of pricing as well as a detailed description of the type of services that can be provided for your business. 38 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 41. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Make sure the company provides services Search Google using the following search in your area. phrases : ♦ Some of these companies also provide software solutions to help with your order fulfillment needs, in addition to 1. Warehouse Management Services offering these services themselves. 2. Warehouse Management Services ♦ While these services can prove to be somewhat costly, outsourcing your 3. Value Added services company’s fulfillment services can free up valuable time for your business and 4. Transportation services employees. 5. Outsource Order Fulfillment 6. Warehouse Value Added Services Outsourced Fulfillment: Vendors Get started with outsourced fulfillment with the following vendors: 3 Webgistix.com Pssdistribution.com Sell Your Product Newyorkwarehousing.net CDS-Global.com Kewill.com 39
  • 42. Less job. More print. The fastest, easiest way to print beautiful catalogs and publications! CALL TODAY | 800-572-7804 www.progressprinting.net 40 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 43. 4 Promote Your Business So you have a great product or service, but no one is lining up to purchase them. Your problem may not be your product, but rather your lack of promotion. People need to be aware of your products and services before they can purchase them. This chapter is dedicated to helping you promote your business to draw in your targeted market. Purchasing Prospects................................42 E-mail Marketing......................................44 Direct Mail................................................46 Pay-Per-Click Advertising..........................48 Affiliate Marketing....................................50 4 Promote Your Business Blogvertising............................................52 Distributing Articles..................................54 Internet Marketing Companies.................56 41
  • 44. Purchasing Prospects: Quicksteps Prospects (also known as “sales leads”) are people or customers that are likely to purchase from you. You can easily create or purchase a list of good pros- pects. Follow these easy steps to find clients specific to your target market. Step 1 Choose a specific genre of people that you want to target and include your own potential client lists. Step 2 Filter the client list by specifying attributes of the target market. (Examples: age, geography, income, etc.) Step 3 Purchase the list online from one of the vendors listed alongside once you have customized it. Step 4 Receive the generated list of clients based on the attributes you specified. 42 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 45. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Verify that a vendor’s online credit card Search Google using the following search system is secure in order to make sure phrases : that they don’t share your personal infor- mation with someone else. ♦ Verify the legitimacy of the vendor’s 1. Targeted mailing lists privacy statements to ensure that your client’s personal information will not be 2. Telemarketing lists reviewed, shared, distributed or refer- enced unless there is an agreement with 3. Direct Mail List that specific vendor. 4. Email Marketing List ♦ Abide by laws (such as the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud Prevention Act and 5. Database marketing Mailing lists the CAN-SPAM act) regarding contact- 6. Email Mailing Lists ing consumers and businesses via phone and e-mail. Purchasing Prospects: Vendors Get started with purchasing prospects with the following vendors: 4 Mgilists.com WorldData.com Promote Your Business TLCLists.com WalterKarl.com pinpoint-tech.com ConsumerBase.com 43
  • 46. Email Marketing: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to build, target, send and track email marketing news- letters, online surveys and direct mail postcards. Step 1 Construct a promotion to send out to potential and current clients. Step 2 Compile a list of emails for potential and current clients that you wish to target with your promotion. Step 3 Send out the promotion to the list of emails gathered. Step 4 Track the results of the promotion being sent. Step 5 Analyze the results of the promotion and make decisions to improve the suc- cess for the next promotion. Step 6 Manage and update your list of potential and current clients for future promo- tions. 44 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 47. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Check the validity of the vendor’s Search Google using the following search security policies in order to store your phrases : client’s personal information in a secure environment. ♦ Check the validity of the vendor’s 1. Email marketing privacy statements to ensure your client’s personal information is not illegally 2. Email advertising distributed. 3. Opt-in marketing ♦ Check the validity of your client’s infor- mation to guarantee your promotions will 4. Permission marketing reach the maximum amount of potential clients possible. 5. Email campaign Email Marketing: Vendors Get started with email marketing with the following vendors: Gladhandle.com 4 Constantcontact.com Promote Your Business VerticalResponse.com Bronto.com StrongMail.com Lyris.com Responsys.com Topica.com 45
  • 48. Direct Mail: Quicksteps A direct mailing piece is a printed promotional item that you send via postal mail to a list of prospective clients. Follow these easy steps to create and dis- tribute your direct mailing piece to your target market. Step 1 Choose a direct mailing piece that you want to send out in order to advertise your company and products etc. (Examples: Brochure, Business Cards, Calen- dars, and Flyers etc.) Step 2 Design your direct mailing piece by EITHER choosing a customized design from on the site OR uploading a file from your own computer. Step 3 Review your design to make sure everything is correct. Step 4 Create your mailing list by EITHER uploading your own contact list or pur- chasing a targeted mailing list. Step 5 Purchase the targeted mailing list online if you choose that option. Step 6 Choose which of the 3 mailing options you want the company to complete for you: Print, Address and Mail Print and Address Print only Step 7 Pay for your direct mailing piece and mailing option chosen. Step 8 Mail the direct mailing piece out to customers. 46 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 49. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Look for a vendor with personalized Search Google using the following search login accounts so you have a unique, phrases : tailored account for your product. ♦ Look for vendors with a full refund guarantee and reprinting if your order is 1. Direct mail not to your specifications. 2. List marketing ♦ Test your direct mail campaign by mail- ing a small sample to yourself and a few 3. Direct marketing clients before running a large, expensive campaign. 4. Database marketing 5. Postcard marketing 6. Printing services 7. Mailing services Direct Mail: Vendors Get started with direct mail with the following vendors: Gladhandle.com Fmidm.com 4 Promote Your Business USPS.com Harte-hanks.com expresscopy.com RoyalMail.com PsPrint.com MailSouth.com 47
  • 50. Pay Per Click Advertising: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to implement pay-per-click marketing. Step 1 Research Pay-Per-Click companies and choose one that suits your business. Step 2 Decide how much you are willing to pay per click. Step 3 Choose which key words you want your ad’s associated with, if the company you chose allows this. Step 4 Pay the company you choose with the payment amount and type they require. Step 5 Track your conversation rate for each ad and how successful each keyword is. 48 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 51. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Obvious keywords are not always the Search Google using the following search best keywords to use. phrases : ♦ Start slow, move forward once you are able to confirm which ads and keywords are the best. 1. Pay per click advertising ♦ Always check the company’s statistics to 2. Pay per click management see how many people you will reach and if applicable what types of people you 3. Pay per click tools can reach. 4. Pay per click tracking 5. Pay per click rates 6. Pay per click setup Pay Per Click Advertising: Vendors Get started with pay per click advertising with the following vendors: adwords.google.com eZanga.com 4 Promote Your Business Clicksor.com searchmarketing.yahoo.com Miva.com SearchGalore.com Findology.com Mirago.com 49
  • 52. Affiliate Marketing: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to increase traffic to your site through affiliate marketing. Step 1 Select an appropriate affiliate marketing vendor. Step 2 Display information about your affiliate program on your site. Step 3 Provide affiliates with a special link to your site that they can display on their websites. Step 4 Observe the increase in traffic to your site after the affiliate displays your link on their site. Step 5 Reward affiliates with compensation. This can either be per sale, per click, or per lead. 50 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 53. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be aware that commissions can be costly. Search Google using the following search Try to offer an attractive, yet reasonable phrases : program to your affiliates. ♦ Know who your affiliates are! Sometimes affiliates may present false advertising 1. Performance Marketing about your site in order to gain commis- sion. This could result in an increase in 2. Pay-per-action Advertising complaints to your business, as well as a loss in revenue from potential customers. 3. Affiliate Networks ♦ Be sure your program clearly states that 4. Affiliate Management Companies the use of spam is prohibited. Many customers complain that affiliates abuse 5. Affiliate Shop spamming to try to generate traffic to 6. Pay-per-click Programs your site. This practice usually results in very negative reviews. Affiliate Marketing: Vendors Get started with affiliate marketing with the following vendors: Azoogleads.com 4 cj.com Promote Your Business AffiliateTraction.com LinkShare.com AffiliateShop.com clickxchange.com AffiliateZone.com DirectTrack.com 51
  • 54. Blogvertising: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to advertise through online blogs. Step 1 Create an account on a Blogging site mentioned on the preceding page. Step 2 Write articles about your product. Step 3 Upload articles to the blogging site and promote your articles. Step 4 Search the site to find articles of competitors. 52 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 55. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be careful of responses you receive Search Google using the following search from articles posted on these websites. phrases : This information is open to anyone and everyone. 1. A-listers 2. Blog consultants 3. Blog marketing 4. Moblogging 5. Faux blogs 6. Retailer blogs Blogvertising: Vendors Get started with blogvertising with the following vendors: 4 Promote Your Business Blogpulse.com Digg.com Technorati.com Blogsearch.google.com 53
  • 56. Distributing Articles: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to draw publicity and bring traffic to your site by post- ing articles about your product or service on electronic article databases for free. Step 1 Register with one of the electronic article databases with just your contact information, or log-in if already a member. Step 2 Click ‘Submit Article’ which will bring you to a page asking certain informa- tion about your article such as category, summary, keywords, etc. Step 3 Post your article by clicking submit or upload. Step 4 Check back to ensure your article successfully passed staff inspection and is a posted article under the correct category. 54 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 57. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be sure to follow Guideline – they usu- Search Google using the following search ally only allow submission of articles with phrases : content, not just straight advertisements. ♦ Don’t post the first half on your website – Google downgrades sites with duplicate 1. Article Submission content. 2. Free Articles 3. Article Database Distributing Articles: Vendors Get started with distributing articles with the following vendors: 4 ArticleBiz.com Promote Your Business EzineArticles.com ArticlesFactory.com Articlecity.com Articlesbase.com FreeArticles.com 55
  • 58. Internet Marketing: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to promote your company with online marketing: Step 1 Contact an online marketing agency to see what services they provide. Step 2 Choose the type of internet marketing service you wish to use. Step 3 Pay the company you choose with the payment amount and type they require. Step 4 Implement the service into your companies marketing section or track the advertisements you are provided with to see how well the marketing does. 56 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 59. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Make sure the company you choose can Search Google using the following search be trusted and is not a phrases : small startup company by unknown people. ♦ Try to find a company with statistics 1. Online Marketing backing up how many people you will reach with their marketing. 2. Search Engine Optimization ♦ Ask for a prototype of the ads that will 3. Social be used to promote your company. 4. Emarketing 5. Paid Search 6. Media Marketing Internet Marketing: Vendors Get started with internet marketing with the following vendors: oneupweb.com Sitebrand.com 4 Promote Your Business VantageMedia.com DigitalGrit.com Virante.com icrossing.com PageZero.com ResponseMine.com 57
  • 60. www.virginiasbdc.org For aspiring entrepreneurs, emerging companies, or established firms, the Virginia Small Business Development Centers is where business comes to talk business. There are local centers throughout Virginia to help businesses in their own communities. Counseling, training, and information resources are the hallmarks of the SBDC program. Most services are free and all SBDC services are confidential. Business owners can get assistance in a variety of areas including: • accounting • business planning • cash flow management • financing sources • government procurement • licensing and regulation information • marketing • SBA programs • start-up procedures Business owners and managers can count on professional guidance, experienced insight, and practical solutions from Virginia SBDC business counselors. The Virginia SBDC Network is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, George Mason University—Mason Enterprise Center at the school of Public Policy, and local premier institutions. The Virginia SBDC is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA’s funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. 58 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 61. 5 Track Your Performance Once you have your online business up and running it may seem like you’re on top of the virtual world. But, it’s important not to feel settled now that the hard part is over. The issue of tracking your online performance is a key issue that can either help or hurt your business in the long term. The internet is a constantly evolving entity and flows according to consumer direction. This is why it is crucial to consistently monitor not only the traffic for your website but the financial data as well. Those businesses that track important consumer data and how their own processes run are in the best position to spot any weaknesses or irregularities that need addressing-information is key. The good news is that there is a myriad of tools available to help you manage your burgeoning online business. Internal Issue Tracking................................60 Online Feedback and Survey Tools..............62 Public Product Reviews..............................64 Web Analytics............................................66 5 Track Your Performance Automatic Website Monitoring..................68 59
  • 62. Internal Issue Tracking: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to track issues with software. Step 1 Identify the problem(s) you are trying to track. Step 2 Research available options for tracking problems. Step 3 Compare vendors prices, solutions, and support. Step 4 Contact the vendors to discuss the terms of purchase and service. Step 5 Purchase product if it meets your criteria. 60 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 63. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be cautious of hidden fees. Search Google using the following search ♦ Compare prices of competitors. phrases : ♦ Open source solutions may be free but usually lack software support. 1. Process Tracking 2. Bug Tracking 3. Issue Tracking 4. Problem Tracking Software 5. Software Bug Tracking 6. Open-Source Issue Tracking Soft- ware Internal Issue Tracking: Vendors Get started with internal issue tracking with the following vendors: Bugzilla.org Kayako.com 5 Track Your Performance trac.edgewall.org Basecamphq.com Mantisbt.org Fogbugz.com osTicket.com Cerberusweb.com 61
  • 64. Online Feedback/Survey Tools: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to create professional online surveys quickly and easily. Step 1 Create your survey using your chosen vendor. Step 2 Select from many different types of questions, such as multiple choice, rating scales, drop-down menus, and more. Step 3 Customize your survey by changing the color, size, and style of any element in your survey. Step 4 Collect your responses. You will have the option to stop collection automati- cally when you reach a date or response count that you specify. Step 5 View your results as they are collected in real-time. Use filtering options to display the responses you’re most interested in. 62 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 65. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ For each question in your survey, make Search Google using the following search sure it addresses the content you are phrases : looking for and avoid “loaded” questions, or questions that are obviously biased. ♦ Be sure that the respondent will have 1. Survey design tools enough information to answer each question, and that the question is specific 2. Online survey software enough. 3. Survey form software ♦ Think about whether the respondent will have any difficulty answering the ques- 4. Online research solutions tion truthfully. If there is some reason why they may not, rephrase the question. 5. Survey creation tools 6. Online survey wizard Online Feedback/Survey Tools: Vendors Get started with online feedback with the following vendors: Surveymonkey.com Zoomerang.com 5 Vovici.com Track Your Performance Keysurvey.com Articulate.com Foreseeresults.com E-rewards.com Kampyle.com 63
  • 66. Public Product Reviews: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to obtain feedback on your business and analyze com- petitors. Step 1 Direct your browser to one of the product reviewing websites listed alongside. These websites allow consumers to compare similar items for sale across differ- ent vendors while voicing their own opinion. Depending on the chosen web- site offering user reviews, public ratings can be given and viewed for specific products, companies, services, locations, and much more. Step 2 Browse user reviews for a general understanding of consumer opinions on different businesses or brands. Take note of aggregate ratings of all relevant competitors offering similar products. Step 3 Determine which vendor offers the most compatible review solutions for your company and product before making a purchase. Merchants offering this service may charge one initial integration fee as well as month-to-month subscription fees. Step 4 Specify the criteria with which you would like users to evaluate products featured on your website and design the rating features to match the look and feel of your website. Step 5 Obtain further consumer opinions by hosting a costumer forum on your website. Step 6 Download a customer forum software package from the vendors provided and pay any license fees applicable. Step 7 Install the software provided, and follow the instructions given by the com- pany to customize settings, security, and appearance. Continue to encourage customers to sign-up and create new threads and discussions. 64 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 67. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Forums are a great way for customers to Search Google using the following search communicate, but they are also a prime phrases : target for web-crawlers and spammers. To prevent spamming, IT administrators need to configure the security features of the forums including membership sign- 1. Product Reviews and Reports up, and posting. 2. Satisfaction Ratings ♦ When allowing users to post on your website, you may wish to restrict features 3. Compare Store Prices to members who have a record of 4. Rating Websites purchasing the product in question from your website. Installing a verification 5. Product Ratings system along with your review features ensures that accurate and reliable feed- 6. Internet Forums back is coming to you. Public Product Reviews: Vendors Get started with product reviews with the following vendors: Viewing Product Reviews: Hosting Product Reviews and Cus- tomer Forums: Epinions.com ReeVoo.com 5 Track Your Performance Yelp.com PowerReviews.com Ratings.net GetVanilla.com phpbb.com 65
  • 68. Web Analytics: Quicksteps Web analytics software helps you determine who is coming to your site, where they came from, and what they visit on your site. Follow these easy steps to successfully deploy analytics software. Step 1 Determine your budget for implementing analytics software. Many companies offer free services at the expense of less statistical information and customiza- tion. Step 2 Review samples and demo’s of the analytics software. Review the type of information that will be reported to ensure you will be getting the necessary graphs and statistical information to improve traffic to your website. Be certain that the services you are paying for contain the reports and models you are expecting. Step 3 Insert the necessary code to your website that will enable the analytics soft- ware to begin processing traffic and trends. Step 4 Analyze the information provided by the web analytics software. Review what each statistical feature reports and how it reports to accurately interpret the information. 66 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 69. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Be certain that the code inserted into Search Google using the following search your website is accurately analyzing phrases : information from all your web pages. ♦ Understand and research what the analy- sis means. Ask or read the documenta- 1. Web analytics tion provided by the website. Inaccurately interpreting the information provided by 2. Website analysis the software can lead to false decisions that could negatively affect your business. 3. Web statistics 4. Website tracking Web Analytics: Vendors Get started with web analytics with the following vendors: Unica.com Omniture.com 5 Track Your Performance Visistat.com Livefluence.com WebTrends.com ClickTracks.com tealeaf.com OneStat.com 67
  • 70. Automatic Website Monitoring: Quicksteps Automatic website monitoring helps you determine when your site is down or slow and act quickly to avoid losing customers to competitors. Follow these easy steps to get started with automatic website monitoring. Step 1 Understand what services you will require on your website. Step 2 Research potential vendors. Many vendors offer free limited services. Step 3 Pick the solution that is right for you. 68 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 71. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Don’t buy extra features that you don’t Search Google using the following search require. phrases : ♦ Find the solution that meets your budget. ♦ A malfunctioning website can turn off 1. Web Monitoring potential customers from your products and services. 2. Web Service Monitoring 3. Web page statistics 4. Web server stats 5. DNS server monitoring 6. Uptime monitoring Automatic Website Monitoring: Vendors Get started with automatic website monitoring with the following vendors: AlertSite.com uptrends.com 5 Track Your Performance keynote.com YouMonitor.com SecurityMetrics.com DejaClick.com Webmetrics.com siteuptime.com 69
  • 72. 70 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 73. 6 Complete Your Administration Once you have finished the previous steps, the final stage in developing your online business is to complete your administration. This includes finding easy to use accounting software to keep track of all your money. Furthermore, you must take care of your taxes. If you have any employees, you must also figure out a payroll system that is best for your company. Once these steps are accomplished, you are ready to launch your new, successful online business! Accounting, Taxes, and Payroll...................72 6 Complete Your Administration 71
  • 74. Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll: Quicksteps Follow these easy steps to complete the administrative functions of your com- pany. Step 1 Choose accounting software the suits the needs of your company, and install the software on your computer(s). Many accounting software packages help you track sales and expenses, and collect data on customers, vendors, and em- ployees in an organized fashion. Step 2 Apply for your Employee Identification Number (EIN). The IRS requires employers to have an EIN so the government can identify the business and track its federal payroll taxes. Step 3 Choose a payroll method. The two most common methods are using software to do payroll yourself or outsourcing payroll to a third-party service. Step 4 File a W-4 form and an I-9 form for each employee. The W-4 form will tell you how many allowances the employee is claiming and is necessary in estab- lishing how much federal income tax to withhold from that employee. The I-9 form will verify your employee’s eligibility to work in the United States. Step 5 Calculate your Federal and State taxes. 72 | The Online Business Guidebook
  • 75. CAUTION! Want to learn more? ♦ Beware of hackers! Make sure your Search Google using the following search vendor makes security one of their most phrases : important priorities. ♦ For each employee, the employer must also pay a percentage to Social Security, 1. Payroll tax forms Medicare, workers’ compensation insur- ance, and other payroll taxes. 2. Payroll reports ♦ In most cases, you won’t have to send 3. Tax Programs W-4 and I-9 forms to the IRS unless it is specifically requested that you do so. 4. Accounting Software However, you must have a W-4 on file for each employee until 4 years after the 5. Bookkeeping Software employee has left the business. You must 6. Filing taxes also keep the I-9 form on file for 3 years after the employee’s hire date. Accounting, Taxes, & Payroll: Vendors Get started with accounting, taxes, and payroll with the following vendors: Intacct.com Quickbooks.com Blinksale.com TurboTax.com 6 Complete Your Administration CheckPoint.com freefile.com paychex.com PayCycle.com 73
  • 76. Business starts, stops and grows here. Whether you’re launching a new venture, negotiating with investors, entering into employment agreements or even buying or selling a business, look to LeClairRyan. As a legal practice initially formed as a venture capital boutique, we have significant experience and long-standing ties to the venture capital and business communities to help you find the right solution. Our attorneys understand the business of business and are ready to assist you. For more information, call Jeff Mitchell at 540.961.2600. w w w. L E C L A I R R y A N . C O M CALIFORNIA CONNECTICUT MAssAChUsETTs MIChIgAN NEw JERsEy N E w yO R k P E N N s y LVA N I A V I R g I N I A wA s h I N gT O N , D . C . 74 | The Online Business Guidebook LCR0295_OnlineBizGuideAd.indd 1 5/29/09 5:57:23 PM