The Entrepreneurship Center

1. Start-up Essentials for Entrepreneurs The Entrepreneurship Center

2. The Internet and Your Business The Entrepreneurship Center

3. Workshop Overview Marketing Your Product / Service Website Development Issues Domain Names Web Design Rules Writing Copy

4. The Power of Marketing A I D A A Get Attention ICreate an Interest DGenerate a Desire to Know More AMotivate the Reader, Listener, Viewer to Take Action

5. Be aware…. • A recent study by Sales & Marketing Executives International consulted that 81% of major sales are closed after the 5th contact. • 80% of people who inquire about a product or service will buy it within one year of their initial inquiry. However, over 90% the time, they don’t buy it from the same company with which they made their initial contact.

6. Why Should I Do Business With You? Sell the Benefits… not the features ! Decisions are made emotionally first, then justified with information that supports the decision.

7. Profit Direct to Bottom Line Saving Time • Increasing accuracy • Efficiency • Convenience Saving Money • Decreasing costs • Solving problems

8. Profit by Increasing Sales(with a Cost of Sales Factor) • Acquiring new clients directly • Acquiring clients via referrals • Acquiring increased revenue by adding more products / services available to existing clients

9. Planning is Essential Effective market research, planning, and sales preparation are essential to success.

10. When does the Web Work Best?

11. It Works Best When… • Excellent introductory media • Pre-selling customers and prospects • Reach audiences once unattainable • Maintain communication with clients • E-commerce • Show credibility and progressiveness

12. Uses for the Web

13. Uses for the Web Online Brochures Product Info Online Shopping Interactive Catalogs Newsletters Questionnaires Interactive Magazines Mail list requests Company Background Career Opportunities Event Schedules / Reservations Membership Directories Product Training Customer Service and much more….

14. Levels of Web Presence Web Advertising ~ with or without a web site • Banner Ads • Opt-in Email News Letter and eZine advertising Sub-address Hosting Account Personalized Email Blogs and Forums

15. Web PresenceWhich type do you need? • Traditional business web site • One-page brochure • Information Site • E-commerce Site

16. Keys to Success • Exposure / Association • Security • Organization / Design • Easy to Use • Good Information / Content • Interactivity • Reason to come back (changing info) • Localization

17. Planning ~ Essential to Success • Define what business you are in • Identify your target market • Who might visit my web site • Your target market will determine how you construct your website

18. Planning • Define what business you are in • Identify your target market • Who might visit my web site • Your target market will determine how you construct your website

19. Planning • Customize your advertising message to your target market • Establish your marketing goals • Explore the competition (what do you like about their sites and what do you dislike) • Determine your budget (immediate needs and long term goals)

20. 6 Steps to Your Web Presence • Define It • Name It • Build It • Publish It • Market It • Evaluate It

21. Message Must Be Effectively Integrated and Delivered

22. 4 Key Considerations • People are egocentric. Subconsciously, they’re viewing your webpage and thinking… “There’s tons of companies just like you. What are you going to do for me?”

23. 2) People love being entertained. If they believe your website is providing interesting information, you’ll have them hooked.

24. 3) People want their opinions valued. This is why most companies have incorporated a blog or forums--so that their customers can put in their two cents.

25. 4) And…this is the ticket to creating value for YOUR business... • Visitors want to do something. • They want entertainment! • They want to know if their opinion is valued. • They ask: What can you do for me?

26. Make your site more customer-centric, and effective: • pictures and descriptions of your product • benefits of your product • (directly related to your buyer) • interesting facts, statistics, • high interest stories • customer testimonials or responses • forums

27. Beyond Basics • Streaming Media • Flash Technology • Animation • Application Development • Selecting a Host

28. Finding the Best Provider Interview at least 3 Providers asking them each the same questions. Then compare both value and price. Don’t forget the issue of personality .

29. The Cost • Value versus Cost ~ what’s included

30. Webmaster Technical Expertise Training Accessibility Levels of service site design content writing graphic design programming back-end support

31. Development Philosophy Partner or Provider mindset

32. Evaluate Their Experience How many … sites have they done… industries? complexities?

33. Hosting Pricing ~ Services What’s included ? ? ?

34. E-Commerce Shopping Cart software (scalable, product listings, descriptions) Merchant Accounts / Pay Pal Secure Certificates

35. Search Engine Submission Hosting companies (free or for fee) Pay submission (i.e. www.submitit.com) Maintenance Review and update content no less than every 6 months

36. The Business Location Site statistics: Tracking unique visitors Sales Click-throughs

37. Marketing Test… Test… Test… and Advertise

38. Results… Increases in $$$$ Name recognition Product inquiries Subscribers

39. A Good Domain Name • short and sharp • meaningful – always conveys a clear message • easy to spell • easy to remember • unique, descriptive, and “you” • solid, classic, NOT hokey

40. Extensions .com .net .biz .info .name .cc .tv .ws .org …more to come

41. Good Brainstorming Sites • http://www.NameBoy.com • http://creator.homepagenames.com • http://www.domainsurfer.com • http://www.bestnames.net/cgi-bin/sear.cgi • http://secure.kudosnet.com/domain/k2/r.dmc • http://www.networksolutions.com/purchasing/nameGen.jhtl • http://www.e-gineer.com/domainator • http://www.startstorm.com

42. Check Trademarks* • http://www.marksonline.com • http://www.nameprotect.com/cgi-bin/ FREEsearch/search.cg • http://wsj.nameprotect.com • http://trademarks.uspto.gov/access/search-mark.html

43. Before You Build:5 basic web design rules*Shari Thurow * Author of Search Engine Visibility, New Riders Publishing 2003

44. The Rules… Rule #1: Easy to Read Rule #2: Easy to Navigate Rule #3: Easy to Find Rule #4: Consistent in Layout and Design Rule # 5: Quick to Download

45. Writing Web Page Copy • Get the reader’s attention • Offer the benefits of your product / service • Create credibility • Give instructions on how to get more information or to place an order

46. Copy Components

47. Exciting headlines News Benefit Statement Emotional

48. Attention Getting…. • Powerful bullet points • Features (the “how”) as they relate to • Benefits (the “why”)

49. Explicit benefits Be specific… save time? money?

50. Credibilty • Provide facts to back up claims • Testimonials from satisfied customers • Be specific ~ use facts and figures • Give guarantees