A visitor asked me today if I had any advice for a home based e-commerce website business.
I am just now working on formulating a marketing plan on how to reach small, home based businesses that need e-commerce websites. Do you have any suggestions or resources for how to reach that market? I am planning to launch marketing in the next month or so.
The first suggestion I would make would be to FOCUS. Pick a specific target niche, preferably something that you know and have contacts in and credibility with. Build something specifically for that niche and explain how to solve problems they will face. People starting out often say they don’t want to limit themselves because they could grow and do more. You can always add additional niches or expand to a larger category above the niche as you go. But it costs less to be successful in a smaller niche.
You can’t compete with the huge companies, the GoDaddys and Network Solutions head to head. They are gigantic and they rule the big fields because of their marketing budgets and brand names. So don’t compete with them on their field. Go back in the woods a ways in an area you know. The big guys can’t run around in the woods and do as good of a job as you can in that area. They can’t train all of the representatives (who are probably based in India) at a big company to know as much about your niche as you do. You can be the expert or the specialist. And people like working with an expert in their area. It also costs less to get PPC visitors for a niche. You can get good rankings in a narrow niche much easier. You’ll have less competition in that niche. Google also likes niche sites.
Two more smaller points. Start a blog and begin writing things every day. You don’t have to be perfect or have thousands of pages. Just start and keep adding material regularly and it’ll grow. Then be more personal. Put yourself into your business. People also want to buy from people they know and feel comfortable with. You don’t have to be supermodel, but that again is something that the big company can’t compete with you on. They can hire a spokesperson to try but you’re more real, more believable and if you have passion, people will follow you.
Don’t forget to get a good 800 number from us. It’s easy to do and will mean you’re a real business (if they don’t hear the kids playing in the background).