e-Business

Today, it is more the exception rather than the rule to encounter a business that does not have some kind of Internet-based electronic component to its overall business plan. Whether that component involves marketing, relating with customers, product tracking, or the entire business itself is determined by the nature of the business both in scope and in degree.

The term e-business is a bit ambiguous. In the broad sense, e-business refers to a company which uses technology and communications advances over the Internet in all aspects of its business. However, with any such business, there will necessarily be some point when brick and mortar “real world” aspects will come into play. Conversely, every business has some aspect that they can enhance over the Internet.

The practice of moving some aspects of a business onto the Internet is largely the product of consumer demand. A good example is a person looking for a tent rental. Hamilton residents, and those living in other cities, used to have to check the Yellow Pages for companies that might carry tent rentals. Today, a rental company in Hamilton no longer has to rely on luck and lengthy advertisements to bring information on their products to the masses. By adding an e-business component to their strategy, they can utilize the tendency of consumers to check the ‘net before anything else when looking for services.

In this series of articles, we will be taking a look at several different sales techniques which are used to enhance the bottom line of e-business. We will briefly outline what you can expect to find in these articles below.

Search Engine Marketing: Probably the most well known and well used strategy when it comes to e-business sales strategies to date. This technique involves using key words and phrases (such as King West Lofts) to place a business page high on the results section of major search engines. Higher placement means more traffic.

Web 2.0: The latest in sales techniques for e-businesses are social networking opportunities, also referred to as Web 2.0. Understanding the social aspects of a target market can help increase conversion percentages for anything from the sale of a modern glass vanity to ideas and service exchanges.

E-mail campaigns: One of the most effective sales techniques for e-business components over the last few years has been the use of e-mail. Sales of new condos Toronto, for example, can go way up when interested buyers (including speculators) are made aware of developments beforehand, and there is no way more personal than through one on one email.

You may run an e-business that operates solely on the Internet, such as a company offering courses which will lead to a real estate license. On the other hand, you may use e-business techniques as just a tiny percentage of your overall business strategy. Either way, having some familiarity with sound sales techniques in the world of e-business can help you enhance the online component of your marketing strategy.