2020 has been a hugely chaotic time for businesses regardless of their size. This huge impact has been felt by small businesses more than anyone. The reason is simple. As online sales have increased, businesses that have little or no online presence have been left behind.
Even now with shops slowly beginning to open up in time for Christmas, people are choosing to first go online before contemplating visiting a physical outlet.
Considering making the move online is a big step. But one that could be argued is even more important than in any time previously. There are a few things that you will need to do to get started on your journey to reaping the benefits of online sales.
What are you going to sell?
The first decision after deciding to sell online is what are you going to sell? Are you going to continue to offer what you currently sell in your store or are you going to take this opportunity to branch out further or even reduce your range.
It is worth using this opportunity to take a fresh look at your business and evaluating whether you can offer more or whether there are some of your products that don’t get a lot of interest.
Choosing a domain name
Having an easy to remember domain name will make your website easier to find online. Deciding on a domain name and finding one that is available will be one of the first steps for you.
What sort of site do you like?
This is an important step because it can affect the platform that your website is built and run on. Do you want to be able to sell directly to your customers from the site, or just supply information and request enquiries?
Knowing the answers to these questions will give you a good starting point for where your website will go.
Choose sites that you like the look of
Browse other websites, what do you like and dislike about them? This will give you an idea of how you want your site to look and be used by your customers. It will also enable your designers and developer to create a mock-up that is based on what you have found.
Rope in the designers and developers to help
They will be able to help you to build your site, achieve the functionality that you want and bring your vision to life. So whether you are looking for a simple startup site or a larger, more functional and integrated eCommerce site, choosing the right people to help you on your journey can make or break.
If you are considering making the move online then why not get in touch!
