S KILLS N EEDED Strong online marketing skills would be an asset to run this type of business.. C OST TO S TART T HIS B USINESS The cost to set up and run this type of business ranges fr
Trang 122 Coupon Site
O VERVIEW OF B USINESS M ODEL
Everyone loves to save money That is why we are witnessing the emergence ofcoupon networks online, where consumers can easily visit the site, view cou-pons, print them, and use them in a traditional offline store Coupon networkscan be targeted at both national and regional audiences, depending on youronline objectives and marketing budget
How does it work? It’s simple You charge businesses to advertise theircoupons on your site You then promote your site to the area that you aretargeting (whether it be national or regional) and encourage your visitors to usethe coupons available on your Web site It’s as easy as that!
S KILLS N EEDED
Strong online marketing skills would be an asset to run this type of business
C OST TO S TART T HIS B USINESS
The cost to set up and run this type of business ranges from $4,000 to $50,000.Start-up costs include computer hardware and software, a scanner, and a printer.Initially you will also have to pay for the design, development, and hosting ofyour Web site You may want to develop a fully automated system where cus-tomers can have password-controlled access to forms online to input their cou-pons and pay for coupon placement The development costs for the programwould vary depending on the complexity All additional costs are associatedwith promoting your business online and offline
N UMBER OF E MPLOYEES N EEDED TO S TART
This business can be started with one person However, to attract lots ofvisitors to your site and encourage them to come back often, you will wantlots of coupons on your site This is not easily accomplished by only oneperson
I NTERNATIONAL P OTENTIAL
Since different countries have different pricing strategies and currencies, thistype of business does not have strong international potential It is better suitedfor a national or regional market
E-B USINESS M ODEL /P AYMENT P ROCESSING M ETHOD
E-business level 1 is most appropriate for this type of business initially If you
go for the fully automated system, you will want to progress to level 2 Formore information on this, see Part 1
Trang 2I MPORTANT B USINESS I SSUES TO B E A DDRESSED
Many of your coupon advertisers will provide repeat business for your couponnetwork if they get a good response; therefore, it is important to develop strongrelationships with these advertisers and make sure a lot of their coupons areresponded to It is important to provide guidelines and tips on what makes aneffective coupon Don’t do anything that may jeopardize your relationship withthese advertisers as it may hinder the chances of their doing repeat business withyour organization One bad experience can turn multiple advertisers away fromdoing business with your coupon network To ensure that you avoid this prob-lem, you should consider implementing a strategic customer relationship man-agement system
Many of the people accessing the site will be home users and may have
dial-up access Large graphic files will take longer to download The longer thedownload time, the more likely it is that the visitor will click away before theWeb page is viewed With coupons being graphic intensive, it is important thatyou have restrictions on acceptable file sizes to ensure quick and easy access toall pages of your site
O NLINE M ARKETING T ECHNIQUES
• Develop a comprehensive link strategy Generate links from as manyrelated topic-specific Web sites, local Web sites with high traffic, appro-priate directories, and meta-indexes as possible
• Launch a strategic banner advertising campaign on Web sites frequented
by your target market These sites could include geographically targetedWeb sites or industry-specific sites
• Develop your own personal mailing list to communicate with your sitevisitors You could ask people if they would like to be notified whenyou update the coupons offered on your site This is a great permissionmarketing technique to increase the repeat traffic to your Web site
• Develop a banner advertising campaign where your banners are theactual coupons from your site These banners would be strategicallyplaced on appropriate sites
• Develop a sponsored listings campaign to bid on appropriate keywordphrases with the popular search engines
• Develop a viral marketing strategy where people can “Send This Coupon
to a Friend” via your site This will help to spread the word about your site
Trang 3For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site You can also find tons of free resources at http://www.susansweeney.com/resources.html.
A DDITIONAL I NCOME
You might consider developing a coupon book that would be printed and soldoffline These are popular with fund raisers and would be a natural add-on forthis type of business
O VERVIEW OF B USINESS M ODEL
Online craft sites became popular as soon as the Internet became a householdreality One of the greatest benefits of the craft industry is the variety of itemsand the fact that they can be made at home Much like the art market, custom-ers will buy a craft based on their own preferences They will tend to look atmany sites before finding one that they like
The content on the site should make each craft seem unique in every way,and there should be contests and interactive features throughout the Web sitethat keep the users coming back and entertained
At start-up your craft store will most likely include only the products youproduce yourself However, if you know other people who produce crafts, youcan ask if they would be interested in having their products sold online Sinceyour main source of income will be from selling crafts through your Web site, it
Trang 4is in your interest to work out a deal with your colleagues where you get paid acommission if and when their products are sold.
S KILLS N EEDED
The homemade craft industry operates in a unique and insular fashion A broadfamiliarity with people in the homemade craft industry as well as a fairly com-prehensive knowledge of the products will be required to gain the respect of thepeople involved and should be considered basic skills for this project You willneed Web publishing and digital imaging skills You will have to manage theonline store, process payments, and interact with customers regarding theirorders and shipping details
C OST TO S TART T HIS B USINESS
The cost to set up and run this type of business ranges from $3,000 to $7,000.Your initial setup costs will include a personal computer, a scanner or digitalcamera, and the appropriate software to process the images and publish them
on the Web site You will also need to have your own Web site designed, oped, and hosted Additional costs associated with opening your own businessare the promoting of your business online and offline If you have your owncomputer, then you can reduce your expenses accordingly
devel-N UMBER OF E MPLOYEES N EEDED TO S TART
This type of business can easily be started as a one-person part-time venturefrom the comfort of your home
I NTERNATIONAL P OTENTIAL
Crafts are already an international industry In fact, you should be prepared tohave people all over the world showing interest and purchasing your crafts,depending on their size and the cost of shipping
E-B USINESS M ODEL /P AYMENT P ROCESSING M ETHOD
E-business level 3 is most appropriate for this type of business For more mation, see Part 1
infor-I MPORTANT B USINESS I SSUES TO B E A DDRESSED
The value of crafts is a disputed topic The prices should be reasonable andcompetitive with other craft sites on the Web Make sure to align yourselfwith crafters who produce quality goods that do not get damaged easily dur-ing shipment
Trang 5O NLINE M ARKETING T ECHNIQUES
• Start an affiliate program where others can recommend and provide alink to your site You will have to pay a referral fee for every order thatcomes to you via your associates’ links
• Joining or operating a Web ring related to crafts will likely generatesubstantial traffic to your site The average person will tend to lookthrough a few craft sites looking for something they like
• Use a viral marketing approach by allowing your customers to sende-mails or screen shots to their friends of items of interest These Tell aFriend programs are growing in popularity
• Develop a sponsored listings campaign to bid on appropriate keywordphrases with the popular search engines
• Use permission marketing Ask if your customers would like to be fied when the new crafts for the season are up for sale—Christmas,Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s Day, for example
noti-• Approach the operators of e-mail reminder services and get them tosuggest your site as a good place to look for an affordable gift for theirclients’ loved ones
For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site You can also find tons of free resources at http://www.susansweeney.com/resources.html.
A DDITIONAL I NCOME
You can sell banner advertising from your site or provide sponsorship nities in your mail list
opportu-24 Custom-Made Calendars
O VERVIEW OF B USINESS M ODEL
Today, with access to the Internet, people have come to expect a certain level ofpersonal choice Many people enjoy having their own personal calendar set forpersonal use or as a gift for friends and relatives
Trang 6Custom calendars are a wonderful choice for a simple gift idea or a great way
to spruce up the office These are wonderful gifts for parents or grandparents, aseach month or each day can have an interesting picture of the children or grand-children They are also great corporate gifts, where each location or each productcan be presented on each page The custom applications are endless
Now, with the extensive set of specialty publication software and the power ofpersonal computers, it can be moderately easy to set up a small publication firm
S KILLS N EEDED
The most important set of skills needed for creating custom calendars is rior graphic design capabilities Familiarity with the various graphics programsavailable to you, particularly products like Adobe Photoshop, is a must
supe-C OST TO S TART T HIS B USINESS
The cost to set up and run this type of business ranges from $2,000 to $7,000.Your initial setup costs include a personal computer, a photo-quality printer,and the appropriate software You will also need to pay for the design, develop-ment, and hosting of your Web site, and possibly your storefront solution andmerchant account setup All additional costs are associated with promotingyour business online and offline, and purchasing and holding a limited amount
of inventory
N UMBER OF E MPLOYEES N EEDED
This business can easily be started with one part-time individual
I NTERNATIONAL P OTENTIAL
Your market size will be large, and most English-speaking international kets will provide an opportunity Be aware that there will be markets that areclosed to you due to language barriers
mar-E-B USINESS M ODEL /P AYMENT P ROCESSING M ETHOD
E-business level 2 is most appropriate for this type of business For more mation, see Part 1
infor-I MPORTANT B USINESS I SSUES TO B E A DDRESSED
You may be faced with significant online competition This business has a lowcost of entry For this reason, you many want to target your calendars towardone particular niche of online customers You might decide to specialize in petcalendars or corporate calendars Also consider what volume of calendars youwill be producing If you turn out only a few a month, then you may wish to use
a high-quality desktop or industrial printer However, as your volume increases,you may need to utilize the services of a professional printing service, whichmay prove costly with little room for errors
Trang 7O NLINE M ARKETING T ECHNIQUES
• Develop a comprehensive link strategy Generating links from other,related sites is an excellent way to bring targeted businesses to yourWeb site You will want to be linked from sites that cater to your targetmarket You might establish links from appropriate cybermalls, gift-suggestion sites, and other appropriate directories
• Generate a few samples to display on your Web site Perhaps you couldinclude a few great testimonials on that page of your site as well
• You might also consider using a viral marketing technique like Tell aFriend This will allow your customers to bring their friends to yourWeb site If they enjoy your product, they’re guaranteed to pass theinformation to a friend
• Develop a sponsored listings campaign to bid on appropriate keywordphrases with the popular search engines
• You might want to participate in Web rings related to gifts or unusual gifts or one-of-a-kind gifts.
For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site You can also find tons of free resources at http://www.susansweeney.com/resources.html.
A DDITIONAL I NCOME
You could easily expand your product line once your calendars are selling.With e-cards popping up everywhere on the Internet, this too could be a logicalnext step for your site You could consider custom engraving, custom e-books,custom screen printing, custom mousepads, or other products that require theskill sets and the technology in your organization
Trang 8O VERVIEW OF B USINESS M ODEL
Promoting your Web site or business these days is a fully integrated process oftraditional and progressive marketing techniques A popular way to do this is
to have the logo, URL, or business name printed on various items that we seeand touch each day—things that are kept around a computer so that your Inter-net address is front and center when your potential client is only a click awayfrom your Web site Custom-printed products like coffee mugs, mouse pads,sticky notes, pens, and pencils are ideal promotional items to be used as give-aways at a trade show Many businesses are promoting their Web addresseseven more visibly on building signage, vehicle signage, or window awnings.The Web is a perfect place to showcase and provide this service Graphicfiles with corporate logos can be zipped and sent to you via e-mail You canelectronically send these files to all the production businesses that you hire tofulfill each order if you choose to outsource this activity Clients probably shouldpay online for their order, but it’s not absolutely necessary
S KILLS N EEDED
You will need experience and contacts within the custom-printing business and
a firm grasp of graphic design techniques If you decide to do the design self, you could save more money than if you outsourced this work
your-C OST TO S TART T HIS B USINESS
Your initial setup costs include a personal computer and the appropriate ware You will also need to pay for the design, development, and hosting of yourWeb site, and possibly your storefront solution and merchant account setup Alladditional costs are associated with promoting your business online and offline.The cost to set up and run this type of business ranges from $3,000 to $15,000
soft-N UMBER OF E MPLOYEES N EEDED TO S TART
This business can easily be started with one part-time individual
Trang 9I NTERNATIONAL P OTENTIAL
There is international potential for this type of business You can reach nesses everywhere online, and many will be interested in this type of promo-tional product if it is marketed properly
busi-E-B USINESS M ODEL /P AYMENT P ROCESSING M ETHOD
E-business levels 2 and 3 are most appropriate for this type of business Formore information, see Part 1
I MPORTANT B USINESS I SSUES TO B E A DDRESSED
This business has a low cost of entry For this reason, you may want to targetyour printed products toward one particular niche of online customers Youmight decide to specialize in customized items for the workplace that promotethe company’s URL You might decide to provide unique products for the soft-ware industry Choose a niche that promotes heavily, has a substantial budgetfor marketing, or participates in trade shows where giveaways are popular.Make sure to keep yourself up to date on the best deals for the products youprint on, and try to arrange a preferred customer or volume discount with theprinting house you use so you can increase profits As custom products have nomarket value to anyone else, you might want to get a deposit with the orders orhave them prepaid
O NLINE M ARKETING T ECHNIQUES
• Develop a comprehensive link strategy Generate links from ate cybermalls, trade show supplier directories, and business productdirectories
appropri-• Generate some great samples to display on your Web site Perhaps youcould include a few great testimonials on that page of your site as well
• You might develop a mail list so that visitors can request notificationwhenever you add new products to your product line
• Develop a sponsored listings campaign to bid on appropriate keywordphrases with the popular search engines
• Develop an associate/affiliate program whereby other sites can ommend your service, provide a link to your site, and receive a com-mission or referral fee every time a customer links through and makes
rec-a purchrec-ase
Trang 10• Develop a banner advertising campaign targeted at trade show sites andbusiness product sites.
For a more detailed description of these techniques, along with many other
effective online marketing methods, I recommend the companion book 101 Ways to Promote Your Web Site You can also find tons of free resources at http://www.susansweeney.com/resources.html.
O VERVIEW OF B USINESS M ODEL
Cybermalls are Internet shopping centers and are popular online businesses Acybermall is basically a Web site that contains different categories of onlinestores that people can visit to purchase goods and services that they are inter-ested in There are typically four types of cybermalls: (1) geographically specificcybermalls (e.g., New England Craft Mall), (2) product- or service-specificcybermalls (e.g., Outdoor Adventure Mall), (3) industry-specific cybermalls (e.g.,Financial Services Mall), or (4) demographic-specific cybermalls (Seniors Mall).The type of cybermall that you will start depends on your online objectives,your target market, and the types of products and services that you sell.Cybermalls usually offer businesses two options: (1) The business can haveits site listed in the cybermall with a link out to its Web site, or (2) the businesscan have a storefront developed within the cybermall