Tag: online presence

Testing your Small Business Website

Posted by Winflow – June 15, 2011

An online presence can do a lot for a small business. It can boost sales, expand your markets and ecourage company growth. It is easy to start a website but optimizing it to perform at its best can be the difficult part. Though it can be confusing to do, testing your website is the best way to optimize it. When testing your small business website, consider the following:

  • A/B testing allows business owners to test two different versions of their website. They can see which format customers respond to more favourably and personalize their web page based on these results.
  • There are several online businesses that will do this testing for you if it is too confusing. Their rates vary greatly so research before hiring.
  • A/B testing should be performed on landing pages (where customers typically enter the site), registration pages or shopping cart pages as they typically have the greatest impact on a site’s numbers.
  • Don’t overreact to test results. Changes should instituted incrementally so it’s easier for users to make navigation adjustments as you make site adjustments. Coming onto an entirely new page can confuse customers.
  • Focus your testing on large elements of your business. Yes it’s nice to know what people think of your font choice but it’s not really going to make a huge difference to the way people browse your site. Instead test elements like pricing, product information and images.

For your small business needs, contact the Winflow Financial Group.

Does your Business need a Website?

Posted by Winflow – June 15, 2011

Yes! It’s 2011. Customers aren’t looking for businesses in the phone book anymore, they are looking online. If your business doesn’t have anything on the Internet you’re losing prospective customers and sales. Though you don’t need to actually sell things from your website, creating an online presence is a great form of marketing for your small business. If you’re thinking about starting a website for your small business, consider the following:

  • A company website can deepen relationships with existing customers. They should be able to find out information on your company from the comfort of their own home. Bringing your business online will allow customers to feel closer to your company.
  • Without an online listing, customers are going to go elsewhere. These days everyone goes online to find the answers to their questions. If someone is interested in your business but can’t find you online, they will go with a business they can find online.
  • A company website allows for broader communication. The Internet brings everyone closer. This goes for prospective clients too. When they comes across a well-designed web page that features product information they are more likely to consider partnering with your business.

For your small business needs, contact the Winflow Financial Group. Our consultants can provide personalized advice for your business.

Finding Sales for your Small Business

Posted by Winflow – June 15, 2011

When trying to boost sales for your business, it is much more effective to spend your time and resources on hot prospects over cold ones. Hot prospects are ready-to-buy shoppers with all the information they need to make an informed decision. Cold prospects don’t know anything about your business and will likely require more time and financial effort before they decide to become customers. Some tips for finding hot prospects include:

  • Create a sales and marketing system. Determine the best way to attract new customers and sales and systemize the processes to do so.
  • Use online search engines. Not only should you use the Internet for researching hot leads but you should use it to create an online prescence. Get your business to turn up at the top of search engines through web page optimization or a local paid search campaign.
  • Utilize both print and online directories for your business. Advertise in the YellowPages and in any online directory you can. Determine the best way to split your marketing between online and offline advertising.
  • Capitalize on referrals. Make connections with other businesses and ask for referrals. Customers are more likely use a referral from a company they trust and these customers typically come ready-to-buy.

For more information about increasing your sales, read this Microsoft business article.

For your small business needs, contact the Winflow Financial Group at 1.800.956.6897.

Small Businesses: Building your Online Presence

Posted by Winflow – June 9, 2011

It is important for small business owners to utilize every aspect of sales and marketing they can. The Internet is great resource for small companies to make business connections, increase sales and expand markets. Some ways you can expand your online prescence include:

  • Start a blog. Blogging is a great way to propel your site up search engines and make it more discoverable to business connections. Follow search engine optimization (SEO) techniques like incorporating categories and tags, using keywords and formatting your articles so they are easy to read.
  • Make sure your company’s website is professional and easy to navigate. Sites that are difficult to find information on turn visitors away.
  • Maintain your online prescence. Updating your website or your blog shows business and consumers that you are active.
  • Use mailing lists. Mailing lists are a great tool for ensuring customers return. Your newsletters should include up-to-date information about your products and/or business.
  • Use social media. Sign your business up for Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. You could also consider making a Facebook fan page or Youtube account. This provides free word-of-mouth marketing for your business.

For more information about enhancing your online prescence visit this guide.

For marketing advice customized for your business, contact the Winflow Financial Group. Our consultants can be reached through:

  • Telephone – 1.800.956.6897
  • Email – info@winflowfinancial.com
  • The free consultation requested form located on the website.

E-Business

Posted by Winflow – June 7, 2011

With rapid advancements in technology, getting your business on the web is essential. You can use the Internet to gain the following advantages within your business:

  • Business to business (B2B) commerce. B2B activities include purchasing materials online, cooperating with other businesses and leveraging your online presence.
  • Internet marketing. You can do a lot of your marketing online these days by using strategies such as search engine optimization (SEO), publishing on third-party websites, running corporate blogs like this one or online advertising models.
  • Human resources management. By posting job opportunities within your company online you’re likely to get higher response volumes which could mean more qualified employees.
  • Online sales. Setting up a way to sell products from your site is ideal for any business big or small.
  • Intranet. Much like the Internet, the intranet is  a network that communicates information to users within the network. The difference is the intranet is used for communication within your company. Utilizing this technique can allow you to coordinate internal company operations and increase the speed that information is delivered within your business.

To learn more advantages that come with utilizing e-business, read this article. If you need assistance deciding how to best use the web to your advantage, contact the Winflow Financial Group. We can be reached at 1.800.956.6897.