Getting your business online. Is this on your ‘to do’ list?
Deep down, you know it’s time to get a website and Ecommerce off the backburner and into action, if you haven’t already.
We don’t need to tell you that a website is an essential commerce tool for any business. It was before COVID-19, and it is now. In fact, it might be the only way your business can stay open under the current social distancing measures.
But even though most businesses have reopened, getting your business online should be a priority. If we’ve learned anything from this recent pandemic it’s that business owners who diversify offerings, and provide multiple access points to their products and services, stay alive. Some even thrive.
It’s a “new normal” out there and the way we do business may forever be changed.
We will all have to find new ways to interact with customers. New ways to sell, new ways to deliver our products and services and new ways to support customers if we can’t always open our doors.
The answer is as easy as an online business presence. And business owners who realize this early on will be the ones ahead of the game. While everyone struggles to get their online business up and running, you could be the one already selling to customers.
It doesn’t take much to start selling online. Many services and products can be easily adapted to the web, just by having something as simple as a website with e-commerce options and a way to collect payments.
When it comes to online business, you’ll need a quick checklist:
- Invest in a website. It doesn’t have to be expensive. For those who understand the power of WordPress, you could benefit from a One-Page WordPress Website package that can get your small business up and running now! If you’d rather do-it-yourself (DIY) using one of the many website-builders out there, we could just provide design and consulting services to get you a better result than if you work alone. You save yourself time and stress when you leverage our expertise and design savvy. DIY options aren’t as easy as they may seem.
- Brainstorm ideas and develop your strategy. Many of you may be struggling with how to diversify your revenue streams by going online. What products or services do you have that can be adapted to online business. Even as businesses reopen, it could be an additional revenue generator for you. We can also help you improve an existing website with expert tips. Our virtual consultation services give you a dedicated block of time to sit down on a call or video conference with one of our experts and dive into the hard questions you need answered if your website is going to get results.
- Integrate a blog into your website so you can publish content to your audience…. a place to make announcements or share resources. You can direct people to your blog from email newsletters and social media. Your audience will appreciate having an information hub to go to and it’s an amazing way to create strong organic search engine optimization (SEO) for your website.
- Build an email list. If you ask your customers both in-store and online to subscribe to your newsletter you will always have a direct way to communicate with them quickly. During COVID-19 email newsletters have become an integral tool for many businesses to communicate their new policies and offerings. This is just the tip of the iceberg for how email lists can be used effectively for your business.
- Host a webinar and “humanize” your brand. If you are uncertain how to go about doing this, book some time with an OG expert. We can help you brainstorm ideas, recommend webinar tools, and more.
- Invest in organic content creation for your blog, newsletters, social media and more. We know you’re busy running your business. Not everyone is a creative writer. Our content writing services are here to support you.
- Set up webcare to protect your online business. There’s nothing like a pandemic or similar crisis to give cyber thieves an opportunity to wreak havoc. Security monitoring and regular website maintenance are your best defense. We recommend a maintenance plan with every WordPress website we build.
How Can I Get Online Fast?
So you know WHAT you need to do to set up your online business. Now it’s just a matter of getting online fast and economically. Here are some options:
Option 1
If you have some technical knowledge, but are not a programmer, there are some do-it-yourself website builders that are relatively easy to use, like Wix and Squarespace. But you still want a professional-looking website that doesn’t look like you made it at your kitchen table or in your makeshift home office.
There are so many options to choose from and it can make DIY website building more involved than you think. Which is why so many people start off with the right intentions but end up with sub-par results.
If the above questions seem overwhelming, you might not need to hire a web designer, but you might need their professional advice and guidance to help you build something you’d be proud to show off.
Our Design & Consulting Services can include the following:
- Virtual consulting with an expert.
- Recommendations on what website builder to choose that will work best for your business objectives.
- Recommendations on a website theme that will best suit your brand requirements? Design and layout matter. We’ll take you through an online tour and choose a suitable theme together.
- A home page design concept with colours, images and layouts that work best for your brand and fit the chosen website theme? Images and colours affect moods, fonts can influence how people perceive your brand and layouts are important for design and functionality.
- A professional guide to colour codes and fonts with tips on building your new website. This allows you to focus on building the website quickly with the use of our design guide to help you.
Find out more about our Design & Consulting Services.
Add-On Packages are Available:
- Recommendations for an appropriate E-commerce solution that will be most compatible with your new or existing website, and with the shopping cart features you need.
- Implementation of E-commerce so you don’t have to worry about any of the technical stuff. You provide your product and shipping details through our content upload form and we do the rest. You avoid a frustrating learning curve, guessing games, support ticket anxiety to a third party provider, and the chaos of gathering information on the fly.
- Content Writing. We know writing isn’t for everyone. When it comes to websites, you are writing for customers and for search engines. We can help craft blogs, informational content, product catalogues, newsletters, social media captions and more.
Learn more about E-commerce Integration and Content Writing as part of our service offerings for small businesses.
Option 2
Not Keen on Creating Your Own Website? If you have NO technical knowledge and the thought of building your own website fills you with dread, but you have a limited budget to work with, you might want to consider investing in a professional, custom ‘one-page’ website. It may be all you need to start building your online presence. It costs much less to build and can be crafted by us in a shorter time.
Your website should be enough to grab people’s eye and their interest. And it can become that critical consumer touch point that you need when your doors have to remain closed.
A good custom website, even a one-pager, can still be responsive, informative, revenue-generating, beautifully designed and interactive.
Our WordPress Website packages can include:
- A fully branded and beautifully designed home page that suits your brand. We’ll draw inspiration from your logo and any existing marketing images you provide. No custom images? That’s okay. We can choose stock photos that reflect your brand personality and that look professional.
- A home page that is fully mobile responsive to all the major devices. 46% of Canadians use their mobile phones to make purchases, so your website needs to be mobile-responsive.
- An interactive home page. It’s important to have multiple ways for customers to reach you, like an online contact form and social media links.
- Clearly defined sections of information. Make it easy to find vital info, so people don’t have to search for it.
- The power of WordPress, which is famous for its flexibility. Built on WordPress, your one-page website will have no limitations. You can expand and add more pages or customization at any time, as your business grows. And now with Gutenberg blocks you can also edit basic information easily without a single line of code.
That’s why we want to make it a breeze to get your business online as fast as possible, with a WordPress Website powered by the amazing Genesis Framework. You will also get FREE access to our membership area with helpful video tutorials on how to manage your basic website content.
Find out more about our WordPress Website Design Services.
Imagine your website: beautiful, functional and effective
Unlock Access to Our E-Book:
Website Design: 21 Tips that Convert
This guide will help you understand the balance between design, function, customer experience and user experience for an effective website. It’s a strong resource, an informative read, and would be very helpful prior to meeting with an agency like Original Ginger.
Has Online Business Moved to the Top of Your To Do List Yet?
COVID-19 has shown us the importance of having some sort of website. And face it, the future of business is online, so why wait a minute more to bring your business into the spotlight?
Make your presence known and the online customers will follow. Plus, wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that your business doesn’t have to rely solely on a physical retail space? We can’t predict how shopping will happen in the post-pandemic world, but with an online business, your doors never have to close.
How can you start selling online ASAP? Call us at 778.298.1966 or Toll Free at 1.855.298.8650 to see how we can integrate E-commerce to your existing site, or build you a website and add E-commerce to it. Or, book a consultation to get started.
