Think your small business is ready for an e-commerce Web site?

Don’t make the following mistakes, advised SCORE, a national small-business counseling organization, and Web site-designer Greg Magnus, a local counselor for SCORE in Richmond:

Making a hasty decision. Don’t say yes to the first vendor who offers to build or host your site. Contact about five vendors. Ask for referrals through business people you know — or ask SCORE for a recommendation.

Research the basics of starting an e-commerce site. “Try to find examples of sites that you like,” said Magnus, owner of Aim Custom Media (http://www.aimcustom.com), which sets up shopping-cart Web sites. They should be a similar business to the one you’d like to have, he said.

Be ready to tell what you like about the sites — color scheme, design, functionality — and what you’d like to accomplish on your site.

Neglecting customer service. You want to deliver personal service to your customers. Answer their e-mails promptly and address them by name.

Send an e-mail saying their order was received or shipped. Encourage them to contact you if your product doesn’t live up to their expectations. List your company’s physical address and phone number on the site. Read the full story at RTD here.

You can contact Iris Taylor at (804) 649-6349 or at itaylor@timesdispatch.com (RTD email address).

As I mentioned, we are co-hosting a custom media full-day workshop, “Custom Media Day: Growing Your Custom Media Business in a Social Media Age” on Wednesday, June 17 from 8:30am-4:30pm at the Scandinavia House in New York City. You do not need to be a member to attend.

Scheduled speaker and topic presentations include:

Executive Roundtable Discussion: Hear What the Clients are Saying

Moderated by Joe Pulizzi, Co-Author of Get Content Get Customers and Founder of Junta42 and featuring the following panelists:

• Tracy Burleson, Director of Residential Programs, Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), on how they developed a successful integrated print/online custom content program.
• Pamela Plehn, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) on the success of CME magazine and how they are taking it to the next level.
• Mike Volpe, Vice President, Inbound Marketing, HubSpot, will discuss how HubSpot went from unknown to a leading marketing software company by leveraging a cutting-edge online content strategy.

Keynote Speaker: Andrew Hazen, SEO Expert and Founder of Prime Visibility

• The World Beyond SEO: Tricks and secrets to successful social media and how to integrate it into current online content programs.

Digital Magazine Workshop

• The leading experts on digital magazines will show you what you never knew about digital magazines and how you can create new revenue streams and opportunities today.

What You Always Wanted to Ask about Social Media but Never Could

• A workshop about what YOU should be doing in social media now and how you can create new services or integrate current client offerings with the latest social media tools.

Custom Publishing Council Member Meeting

• This meeting is open to all attendees. Expect a discussion focused on the latest custom publishing research and what you need to know to excel in the custom marketplace.
• Making the Case for Custom Media: A presentation on new Roper research

A cocktail networking reception will immediately follow the CPC member meeting.

Register online for “Custom Media Day” at www.abmevents.com. The full day price is $95.00 per person for ABM, Junta42 and CPC members, and $125 per person for non-members. Half day rates are available. This includes breakfast, lunch, and the cocktail reception.

Source: Sarah Welt, Custom Publishing Council

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