Despite the continuous development of technology in recent years, some businesses still opt for the traditional method of operating in physical premises and having direct contact with their clients and coworkers. However, the crisis we are all witnessing at the moment due to the COVID-19 outbreak has shown clearly that moving your business online and switching focus toward computer-based practices is imperative. Making this significant change and is a must for all those who want to preserve continuity and keep their clients at all times. Hence, if you are innovative and willing to introduce some major changes, study and apply our tips on how to move your business online.
Why move your business online?
The benefits of moving your business online are numerous. Firstly, you can save a considerable amount on operational costs. There will be no need to pay exorbitant prices for the rent, utilities, and various other expenses. Secondly, the information on your products and services will not be restricted by your working hours or the location of your office. Anyone in need of products and services you offer will be able to browse your website and contact you at any time, day or night, and from all over the globe to get the relevant information. Then, a well-organized, user-friendly website will boost your credibility and improve the image of your company. Finally, potential disruptions of your workflow will be decreased to a minimum because all you need to get to your clients and vice versa is the internet connection.
Steps to follow to move your business online
Moving your business online is not such a demanding task if you follow a few simple steps. Depending on the amount of time at your disposal to introduce this novelty, you will make various decisions regarding your website and the online options you will offer to your current clients and prospects. Make sure you keep things simple because it will be easier for both you and your clients to get by while doing business online. If, however, you recognize a need to make some changes and improvements in the future, you can easily solve that issue once you get used to this practice.
Create an impeccable website
Investing in your website is a must if you want to move your business online. If you already have a website, make sure you update, optimize, and modernize it. You can always hire professionals to handle this task for you if you are an amateur in this field.
When you take your business online, your website becomes indicative of your credibility and trustworthiness. The majority of people would say that your attitude to your website shows your attitude to doing business as well. Hence, make sure you update the information regularly, keep in touch with the visitors and clients, offer high-quality content, pay attention to all the details, and eliminate all links that don’t work properly.
Set up a safe online payment system
Setting up an online payment system is also a top priority. Instead of traditional cash transactions, now you need a solution that will enable smooth and safe money transfer between you and your clients. Contacting the bank is the first step in the process. Open a dedicated account and sign a contract with the bank which allows you to have a payment processing page on your website and to receive credit card payments. Then, start sending invoices by email or you can deliver them printed on a piece of paper together with the goods. Finally, make sure you have a well-defined return and refund policy. Your clients will want to know whether they can exchange products, for example, or get their money back. It is of utmost importance to have ready answers regarding this matter in advance.
Use social media to promote your business
Use the full potential of social media. The best practice is to choose up to three platforms that will work best for your industry and then take steps to reach the widest audience. Your possibilities with social media are countless. You can contact some influencers or public figures and negotiate the endorsement of your products and services. Then, you can publish blogs and visuals to attract users’ attention to your business pages. Advertise various discounts on social media platforms and get more traffic to your website. Finally, ask your audience to review your business, products, and services and share their experiences. These tasks should be conducted regularly to provide you with the best results.
Master SEO
Extensive use of SEO tools will help you beat your competitors and appear among the top results in search engines. Some of them require minimal costs, while others are completely free to use. Also, it is not unusual for companies to hire professionals to help them with this aspect of their online business. Whatever industry you operate in, it is possible to enhance your online presence and modernize your practices.
For example, in times of crisis due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a great majority of moving companies have taken their businesses online. Initially, it seemed hardly probable that these companies would keep their continuity in these difficult circumstances, but a vast number of them have succeeded. If you are a moving company owner, check the performance of your moving website and introduce the necessary changes to reach a wider audience, offer your services, and keep your business running. We guarantee you will be amazed by the results.
Don’t overdo it
Finally, when you move your business online in times of crisis, the chances are you do not have much time to conduct research, gather the necessary information, and do comprehensive planning before taking action. As we have already stated, the solution lies in keeping things simple. You need a nice-looking website your customers can browse smoothly to find the information they need. Ideally, you should create a blog page where you will offer quality content, some useful tips and tricks to website visitors. You can develop and improve the design in time, but make sure you always keep the efficiency.
Once you get used to this new strategy, you can use modern applications to organize online meetings or even offer virtual tours of your business premises or a store. As you can see, the possibilities are immense but cannot be exploited immediately.
Final words
In times of crisis or not, you will inevitably have to move your business online in the years to come. A negative attitude toward this change is completely unreasonable since there are many pros of this practice. The change will indeed involve acquiring some new skills and knowledge but doing business without following the latest trends and tendencies is not destined to bring success.