Selling Online
This page will walk you through the basics of transitioning online. It is split into sections answering three key questions. Each section breaks down what you should consider when looking at these questions, then provides suggestions of resources to help tackle them.
Can your customers understand who you are and what you do?
How can you reach old and new customers?
Is it easy to buy your products and book your services online?
Having an Online Presence
The more easily your customers can find you online, the more likely they are to engage with your business. Furthermore, e-commerce is rising and COVID-19 has only accelerated its popularity. Having an updated website will secure your foothold in the online world.
Impacts of COVID-19
With people less likely to be walking around the street, it becomes harder to engage with new and old customers. Moving important aspects of your business online—such as your contact information, the products/services you offer, even creating an online store—enables you to continue selling throughout the pandemic.
How to Build an Online Business
Having an online presence greatly expands a business's ability to reach both old and new customers. This is especially important in an era where many customers are shopping online and afraid of going in to physical stores. This series will walk you through the different aspects involved with building an online presence.
Pros
Great precaution in case of a second shutdown
Reaches a wider audience
Makes information easily accessible
Can sell product anywhere, anytime, and to anyone second shutdown
Cons
Can be expensive to build online presence
Time-consuming to set-up and maintain
Possibly won't pay off
Has to be constantly monitored
Can Your Customers Understand Who You Are and What You Do?
Google Business
Claim Your Business. This allows you to update information on your business that shows up in Google Search.
Update Your Hours. COVID-19 has caused many businesses to limit hours. Many people Google to see if the stores are open before going in-person. This will show your customers when you are open.
Update Contact Information. This includes phone number, address, email, and linking to a website (if you have one). (You may need to reach out to Google Support if you do not have a brick and mortar storefront)
Post Photos. If customers are able to see what your business looks like, they will feel safer purchasing from you.
Website
Set up a Website. Use Squarespace, Shopify, Weebly.
Make sure you have basic business information listed. This might include your address, contact information, and founding story.
Create a catalog of your items. Show your customers what you offer.
How to Help Customers Find You During the Pandemic
A step by step guide to updating your Google Business Listing.
Website Resources
Squarespace
Ranges from $18-$40 per month for businesses
Tricky but allows you to make a more attractive and creative website
Guides you through how to optimize your website on search engines
Commerce plan includes Mailchimp account
Integrates with your social media accounts Ideal to display products, rather than selling product
Shopify
Ranges from $29-$299 per month for businesses
Easy-to-use but only has 10 free website templates
Over 1200 apps to help scale your website
Shopify guides you through the essential parts of website- building
Ideal for e-commerce and interacts with social media and SEO better
Top E-commerce website builder for small business
Weebly
Free for 1 year, then $0-$26 per month depending on preference
Easy-to-use and can sell physical products, downloads, and services
Huge range of apps for scaling your website
Ideal for small store and first- time business owners, but limited payment plans
How to Use
Choose a template that best fits your business.
Begin building your website. You can add pages using the navigation panel and also add various elements.
Utilize website management tools, where you can edit your site title, view visitor statistics, and more.
To make your website live, obtain a free domain. You can choose from Squarespace's service plans: standard, unlimited and business.
Add your products with descriptions and images to display your products.
Choose your website theme from either the free options or the paid templates.
Begin building your website. You can add different texts and images by using the easily identifiable buttons.
Choose a domain (website) name. This is important because it is how your customers find and see you. Ranges from $0-$14.
Finish the payment and shipment systems and utilize apps to get analytics!
Choose a template that best fits your business from a library of over 50.
Begin to build your website by selecting a feature or element you want on your page (ex. images, text boxes, videos). Drag it to where you want it to appear and drop it.
Once you've done this, click publish and it'll appear online for everyone to view.
Do You Have a Way to Reach New and Old Customers?
Email Listings
Set up an email marketing account using services such as Constant Contact and MailChimp. Create an opt-in form for your website – Mailchimp has one you can add to your website. When sending your first newsletter, write a welcome message as if you are talking to a friend, and thank them for subscribing.
Online Ads
Google Ads and Facebook Ads are great platforms to advertise your products. Once you determine your advertising budget, pick one or two items that are good sellers for your marketing campaign. When tracking your ads, look for any trends or patterns in them. If an ad is not performing well, replace the ad with another.
Social Media
Define your target audience and message to determine what platform suits your purposes, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp. You should manage content through a social media management system to direct customers to your products. Providing frequent updates will encourage customers to follow, like, and subscribe.
Marketing Resources and Tools
Google Ads
Price: ranges from $1-$2 per ad click, up to the selected maximum budget amount
Advertise in Google to reach audiences that are interested in the products you offer.
Features a user-friendly dashboard to find out the results of clicks, impressions, keywords, budget, etc.
How to Use: Each campaign is centered on a goal, such as increasing website traffic or sales. Within the Ad Campaign, start an Ad Group. Ad groups are used to organize ads by a basic theme, such as the types of products or services you want to advertise. Use keywords, words or phrases that are used to match your ads with what people are searching for, to increase ad visibility.
Hootsuite
Price: ranges from $0-$129/month depending on plan
Easily manage multiple social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more.
Has analytical tools to provide key insights to all blogs, posts and reviews.
How to Use: Connect your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other accounts as allowed. Add a stream that monitors the feed across all social media accounts. Streams display your scheduled posts, as well as your audience engagement after the post is published. Then, select all social media accounts you want to post to and create your scheduled post.
Facebook for Business
Price: ranges from $1 per ad impression to the maximum amount you are willing to set
Advertise to people based by age, gender, interests, behavior, and location.
Easily view the ad's performance across different target groups
How to Use: There are multiple marketing strategies available, including website traffic and engagement. Show your ads to people who are most likely to find your ads relevant by creating a custom audience based on age, interests, location, etc. There are multiple types of Facebook ad formats, including single image ads, video ads, and carousel ads (a combination of several videos and/or pictures).
Mailchimp
Price: ranges from $0-$199 depending on size of email list
Largest email service and basic customizable designs.
Easy email marketing system, but there are better marketing alternatives.
How to Use: Choose an email template, then add your message and upload images. Add emails by either importing them from a file or collect subscribers using a form on your website. You can set up an email autoresponder to automatically send an email based on a rule you create, such as a welcome email to new subscribers.
How to Communicate with Your Customers
In today’s world, it has become necessary to rely on the internet to look for products and services people need. Any business that doesn’t have an effective online presence risks losing new opportunities and customers. This video will walk you through how to start and engage with your customers digitally.
Is It Easy to Buy Your Products and Book Your Services Online?
Services
Display what services you provide and include your contact information on your website. This allows your customers to call you to make appointments. You should set up a platform for customers to make appointments online. Ex. Google Calendar, etc.
Retail
Create a catalogue of your items to show your customers what you offer. Use Shopify or any other e-commerce platform to set up the ability to collect payment and keep track of items. These platforms will help you sell your products, track inventory, and handle shipping while managing your transactions and insights.
Restaurant
Clearly state on your Google Business account, website, and social media that you do takeout and/or delivery and put your menu onto your website, so customers can easily view what you serve and sell. Include your contact information on your website to allow customers to easily call you for deliveries and pick-ups. Your website should have a check-out application installed for direct ordering on your website. You should also consider partnering with third-party apps, like DoorDash, UberEats, Postmates, etc. See ‘Restaurant Service Options’ for more information.
How to Make it Easy to Buy Products or Book Services Online
Now you started establishing an online presence by making a website and posting on social media. But how do actually sell those products and services online? This video will cover some options and resources you can use to start selling directly to your customers online.
Additional Resources and Tools
Google Calendar
Completely free to use, it is easy to integrate with Gmail/Google accounts you already own. You need a business account to create appointment slots. These allow customers to easily book and cancel appointments. You can create recurring slots and add specific information (who is working at that time, instructions for pickup) in the notes of each slot.
Toast
The pricing depends on whether you want to use it just for ordering, marketing, or a POS system (range from $50 to $999/month). It is an online ordering system with various add-ons to fit your business. This is more on the expensive side, but easy to integrate to existing website with no commission fees.
Gloria Food
It is completely free to sign up for and the basic plan is available for free as well. For online credit card payment abilities, the cost is $29/month. You can easily link to an existing website or Facebook account. This is better for more inexperienced businesses because you can choose add-ons as you go.
How to Use:
Create a Google Calendar with your business email account and click on a time slot on the calendar. Click on the tab that says 'Appointment Slots', choose a time block, as well as length of time for each appointment slot, and add in any additional information you want customers to see when booking that time. Add a link to your calendar to your website so customers can sign up for appointment slots
How to Use:
Click on the QR code to link you to the pricing page. Once there, click the tab that says 'Digital Ordering Solutions'. This page lists the different purchase options. For further help, click the Toast icon on the bottom right to chat with a representative for needs specific to your business.
How to Use:
Go to the pricing page and browse their offerings to understand the benefits of a free subscription. Scroll down to go through their paid offerings to determine if there is anything that suits your needs. Watch any demos you may be interested in. Videos on YouTube are available to explain how the platform works