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- As
seen in May, 1997 issue of...
"YOUR STORE
IN CYBERSPACE"
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- _________________
- Think of your Web
site
- as another
advertising
- vehicle
- --- but a more
complex
- one.
- _________________
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What
if you could open a store visited by more than 47 million
highly-educated people with average annual family income of $60,800,
an average age of 34.9 years and 36.64 percent of whom purchased
something in the last 12 months? What if you could open this store
for $15,000 - $30,000 - most of which is spent on advertising and
promotion?
-
- According to recent surveys by
Georgia Institute of Technology *
and CommerceNet/Nielsen**, that's
your market on the Internet: a/k/a the Net, World Wide Web, WWW or
Web. And, 73 percent of that market searches the Internet for
information on products and services.
Opening a new location on the Web
is similar to opening any other store. One big difference is that
you can research the market and identify those products and services
that will work effectively for your business, without a major cost
outlay.
Opening a new location on the Web
is similar to opening any other store. One big difference is that
you can research the market and identify those products and services
that will work effectively for your business, without a major cost
outlay. |
DEFINE YOUR
USP
What's involved? The
first step is to identify a differentiation strategy or a Unique Selling
Proposition (USP) that clearly sets your business above the competition.
The USP can be a unique product or service, price, availability or any
other such factor. Once identified, you then focus on promoting that USP
on your Web site.
- A rule of thumb for gift retailers is
to promote 15 products in three different classes or price ranges and
change the mix as results dictates. For example, if your price points
are $10, $25 and $50 and you are not selling any $50 items, cut back on
promoting as many of them and increase those items that are selling
well. By the way, according to GVU, 47 percent of Web purchases are
under $50.
THE
COMPONENTS
- Then you must tell the story of your
business and why consumers should shop with you. Your site should
include:
-
- o
Company Profile and history (two to five pages)
- o
What's New -- at your store, updated as new events occur
- o
News -- showing press releases and media coverage of your business
- o
Products Offered -- with pictures, detailed descriptions and prices.
- o
Product Search -- to help visitors find particular merchandise.
- o
Auto Responder -- to send additional information to visitors to the site
automatically
- o
Survey/Feedback Form -- to provide you with input for your marketing
strategy.
- o
Guest Book -- for visitors to sign in and be placed on your mailing
list.
- o
Visitor Counts -- by page, to see what interests your visitors.
- {Page 2}
* 6th WWW User Survey by Georgia Institute of Technology,
October 1996
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys/survey-10-1996/ ----
[back]
** CommerceNet/Nielsen Internet Demographics Survey,
Spring, 1997
(http://www.commercenet.net/work/pilot/nielsen_96/) ----
[back]
{To Page 2}
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