Hello all! I'm still on blog vacation until next week. Until then I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Stay tuned for more Small Biz updates soon. In the mean time, I'm considering a partnership with a company that builds apps and I NEED YOUR INPUT, please.
Has your business ever considered an app? I need your input to help me decide whether or not my business should make the investment. Would you be willing to spend $1,000-$3,000 to have an app built? This would be initial design and build cost only. The monthly hosting fee (like your Web site) is approx. $40/month plus an annual app license renewal fee of $200.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Let me know if you would consider an app for your business. If you would not, please tell me why. Leave your comments below or email me directly at bonellienterprises[at]gmail.com.
Ciao for now, Paula
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
In the Small Biz News
Check out the latest headlines in Small Business Internet News.
Privacy Data Systems launches new Service.
Free service to help individuals and business professionals to communicate easily and securely online.
John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing always has timely, applicable articles for small businesses. 5 ways Social Media can drive local business.
I love eye-tracking heatmaps that show what people are looking at on Web pages. It's always eye-opening. Here's an eye-tracking heatmap from Mashable.com that shows what users are looking at social media pages such as FaceBook. No surprise - images are powerful! It's interesting...worth a quick read.
Check out these 8 small biz social media tips from Social Media Examiner.
Need some help knowing what will motivate your employees? Here are 9 things that motivate employees more than money from Inc.com.
And last, but certainly not least, Marketing Profs top 5 marketing trends for 2012.
Ciao for now, Paula
Privacy Data Systems launches new Service.
Free service to help individuals and business professionals to communicate easily and securely online.
John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing always has timely, applicable articles for small businesses. 5 ways Social Media can drive local business.
I love eye-tracking heatmaps that show what people are looking at on Web pages. It's always eye-opening. Here's an eye-tracking heatmap from Mashable.com that shows what users are looking at social media pages such as FaceBook. No surprise - images are powerful! It's interesting...worth a quick read.
Check out these 8 small biz social media tips from Social Media Examiner.
Need some help knowing what will motivate your employees? Here are 9 things that motivate employees more than money from Inc.com.
And last, but certainly not least, Marketing Profs top 5 marketing trends for 2012.
Ciao for now, Paula
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Mobile Commerce: PayPal in Stores
PayPal is making its move to be a payment option in-store. It has set up a demo showcase in a New York storefront to take visitors through different purchasing scenarios.
One example in the showcase has a customer buying a grill at a retail location, paying with PayPal and choosing to have it shipped to their home. Cool and hassle-free! I'd use that -- would you?
PayPal says its technology envisions being part of the purchase decision by targeting a users location and displaying a local merchant ad.
All the details are a bit unclear at this stage of the game. It looks like the consumer will have a digital wallet with PayPal that is used to pay for goods. The wallet may even automatically keep track of loyalty program points from participating retailers.
More details will likely follow in the coming months as PayPal slowly rolls this out to a few merchants this fall, and up to 20 more in 2012.
Read the complete article here:
Mobile Commerce - PayPal dramatizes how it plans to get into stores - Internet Retailer
One example in the showcase has a customer buying a grill at a retail location, paying with PayPal and choosing to have it shipped to their home. Cool and hassle-free! I'd use that -- would you?
 | |
| image courtesy of office.microsoft.com |
PayPal says its technology envisions being part of the purchase decision by targeting a users location and displaying a local merchant ad.
All the details are a bit unclear at this stage of the game. It looks like the consumer will have a digital wallet with PayPal that is used to pay for goods. The wallet may even automatically keep track of loyalty program points from participating retailers.
More details will likely follow in the coming months as PayPal slowly rolls this out to a few merchants this fall, and up to 20 more in 2012.
Read the complete article here:
Mobile Commerce - PayPal dramatizes how it plans to get into stores - Internet Retailer
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Free Shipping for Holidays
This fall there is already a 10% increase in e-commerce traffic, leading the experts to believe that a healthy holiday shopping season is to come. I'll wait and see if that will be true. I think that many people are simply shopping early (I know I am) in an effort to spread out holiday expenses during this busy season.
74% of online consumers said that free shipping is the primary incentive to shop online (results of a holiday survey from consulting firm Accenture according to Internet Retailer). I know it's a driving factor for me. If I can get it to my door without extra costs, it saves me the time of driving to the store, as well as saving me gas money.
Look for e-retailers to begin promoting holiday offers as early as October 31; well before Thanksgiving! Heck, some of the big box stores have had Christmas decorations, toys and gifts out for weeks now.
Are you ready? If you're selling online, get your free shipping offer ready to roll.
Happy Holiday Sales :-D
Ciao for now, Paula
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
eTailers: Got Free Shipping?
If you sell online or ship items from your store to customers, do you offer free shipping?
There is a growing trend for e-Tailers to offer free shipping, not just on special occasions or seasons, but ALL the time. Think about it. How many times do you shop online and put things in your cart only to bail at checkout because the shipping and/or handling costs have added too much to your total order? I know I have!
Think this is only for big companies? Think again. As a small business, we must do everything we can to "keep up" with the way big companies do business. Customers come to expect a certain big store experience whether shopping online or in your store. And they ARE comparing you to the big stores, whether you know it or not. They're walking through your store comparing prices, deciding to buy with you or deciding it's worth the drive to a large retail store to save a few bucks.
While you may not be able to convince all your customers not to shop at bigger stores, try to do what you can to sway their buying decision in your favor.
What ways can you shave costs so that you can affordably offer free shipping?
Can you offer free shipping to your local area? Beyond?
I know an eTail business who offers free shipping worldwide. This particular business ships small items that don't weigh much. So it was an easy decision. They don't sell at retail locations, but occasionally sell at shows. When they see customers who just can't quite pull the trigger to buy something, they are handed a card and are told "you can buy it later for the same price since we offer free shipping". Smart business! LEAVE NO MONEY ON THE TABLE! Brainstorm ways you can offer free shipping, today!
Ciao for now, Paula
There is a growing trend for e-Tailers to offer free shipping, not just on special occasions or seasons, but ALL the time. Think about it. How many times do you shop online and put things in your cart only to bail at checkout because the shipping and/or handling costs have added too much to your total order? I know I have!
Think this is only for big companies? Think again. As a small business, we must do everything we can to "keep up" with the way big companies do business. Customers come to expect a certain big store experience whether shopping online or in your store. And they ARE comparing you to the big stores, whether you know it or not. They're walking through your store comparing prices, deciding to buy with you or deciding it's worth the drive to a large retail store to save a few bucks.
While you may not be able to convince all your customers not to shop at bigger stores, try to do what you can to sway their buying decision in your favor.
What ways can you shave costs so that you can affordably offer free shipping?
Can you offer free shipping to your local area? Beyond?
I know an eTail business who offers free shipping worldwide. This particular business ships small items that don't weigh much. So it was an easy decision. They don't sell at retail locations, but occasionally sell at shows. When they see customers who just can't quite pull the trigger to buy something, they are handed a card and are told "you can buy it later for the same price since we offer free shipping". Smart business! LEAVE NO MONEY ON THE TABLE! Brainstorm ways you can offer free shipping, today!
Ciao for now, Paula
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
