The answer is, “Yes, your small business needs to be online.”
That means having an online presence and considering e-commerce operations. E-commerce typically means selling products online but I tend to think of it as something bigger. There are service companies that allow you to schedule your appointments online. And paying your bill has long been an available online activity.
If you are like many small business owners, you first need to understand your options and then select and put one or more options into action. To help you with this, Extension across the country has developed resources for you. Check with your local Extension office.
You can also check out the powerofbusiness.net website. Information on these topics can be found in several locations including our blog, the archived “live chats,” in the “tips” section, and in past issues of the newsletter. And don’t forget to check out the three online marketing free workbooks found right on the front page.
Another useful site is the National e-Commerce Extension Initiative. A variety of short information briefs are there to introduce you to various online possibilities.
Examples of the kind of help Extension provides include:
- Bricks to Clicks, Dr. James Barnes, Mississippi State University Extension
- eCommerce help at eXtension.org
- Materials developed by Dr. Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State University Extension
So as we close in on a new year, make this your year for starting and expanding your online presence.