Doing Business on the Internet
- Start Small, Think Big -
Getting Started
Your Internet Business Plan
- Who is the audience? What are the goals/objectives?
- Will site development and support be provided by consultants or in-house staff?
- Will a domain name be registered (eg. www.acme.com) or sub-leased (eg. www.host.com/acme)?
- Who will host the web site?
- Will the site be informational or transactional?
- How often will the site be updated?
- What is the budget and schedule for implementation and maintenance?
- What are competitors doing on the internet? (see example)
Registering a domain name
Selecting a web host
What Others Are Doing
A great deal can be learned about business on the internet by examining the web pages of companies who have already established a web presence. Some of the key considerations include:
International Business
- What is the target audience?
- What are the key messages?
- Is the site informational or transactional?
- Do the web pages load quickly?
- Is it easy to navigate within the site?
- Is the site effective?
- Volkswagen, Sony, PeMex, Fiat, Canon, Bayer, Barclays Bank, Honda, Nestle, Deutche Bank, Renault, BASF, Toshiba
American Business
- General Motors, Exxon, Boeing, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, American Express, General Electric, L.L. Bean, Safeway, Kodak, Chase Manhattan, Wal-Mart, Caterpillar, Proctor & Gamble, Motorola, Pepsi, Merck, Eddie Bauer
Canadian Business
- Alcan, Thompson Corporation, Seagram, Molson, I am Canadian, Noranda, Southam, Inco, Sears Canada, Bombardier, Canadian Tire, Tilley Endurables, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Quaker Oats Company, CIBC, Hudson's Bay Company, Ganong Chocolates, TransCanada, Lafarge, Imperial Oil
Local Business
- EnCana, Bernard Callebaut Chocolates, Rafter Six Ranch, TransAlta, Spruce Meadows, Jager Industries, Big Rock Brewery, WestJet, Burnco Rock Products, Liquidation World, Brewster Transportation
Local Small Business
- Sunik, Rent a Wreck, Fair's Fair, Greenery, Lockerbie & Hole, Billingsgate, Warren Tettensor, Josephson Psychological, Dr. Mackan, Sutton Group Calgary, Stampede Toyota, Triple DDD Bending, Calgary Limousine, Calgary Archery Centre, Campers Village, Nova Photo, Buchanan Barry, Sturgess Architecture, Canadian Cedar Log, Bow Valley Florists, Sig Taylor MSW, Mackays Ice Cream
Those that derive all their business from the Internet
Developing Your Site
- Who is the target audience?
- What are the key messages?
- How will information be organized on the main and subsidiary pages?
- What external links will be included?
- What interactive features will be included?
- What contact information will be included?
- How will color and graphics be used to enhance the site?
- Will visitor statistics be collected?
Launching and Promoting Your Site
Online Marketing
- Will META tags be included?
- How will the site be listed with search engines and directories?
- What opportunities are there for link exchanges (eg. same customer, different product)
- What other marketing methods will be used (malls, announcements to mailing lists and newsgroups)?
- What announcements will be sent to employees, suppliers, customers, partners, industry organizations?
E-commerce:
- Introduction to eCommerce, Webmonkey E-Commerce Tutorial, Electronic Commerce in Canada, NY Times E-commerce Special Report, E-Commerce Guidebook, E-Commerce Times, Web Commerce Today
Immediate access to information - news, business conditions, market research
- CNN Online, Globe and Mail, National Post, Calgary Herald, Canada NewsWire, CBC Newsworld, Canadian Corporate News
- Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Financial Post, The Economist, International Directories, Canadian Business E-commerce
- CNN Financial Network, Toronto Stock Exchange, Quote.Com
- Industry Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, Alberta First.Com, Industry Alberta
- AltaVista Canada, Yahoo Canada, Canadayellowpages.com, Canada.com, Alberta.com, Companies Online
Supplementing administrative functions with internet resources Recruiting
Purchasing products and services:
Obtaining travel information:
- Biztravel.com, Travelocity, Universal Currency Converter, MapQuest
- Air Canada, Greyhound Canada, VIA Rail
Package tracking and shipping:
Business writing and communications: