| To survive today, small business owners must develop | | | | of making your store "searchable by the search |
| and implement an online business strategy. An online | | | | engines". The second is to choose key words for your |
| business strategy allows a small business owner to | | | | items that will attract search engines. What are key |
| increase sales to whatever level they desire without | | | | words?Simply put, a search engine will look for the |
| expanding or changing their existing location.A small | | | | words a person designates during their search in order |
| town doesn't have to mean small business.There are | | | | to find relevant sites for them. So, the more keywords |
| currently 300 million customers online worldwide with | | | | you can think of that could be used to describe your |
| the numbers increasing every day. Businesses like | | | | items, including misspellings, the better chance you |
| eBay and Amazon have helped to educate and | | | | have of being found by a search engine. Why is this |
| familiarize people with the concept of buying online. | | | | critical?Google.com, a major search engine, has over |
| Every day, more and more people of all ages are | | | | four billion websites in their database. You have to do |
| online.Where traditional retail operations are growing at | | | | something to increase your own chances of being |
| about 4.5% annually, online sales are growing at a rate | | | | found. Key words are one way to do that. So if you |
| of 28%. It's clear to see where the trends are going. | | | | sold gift baskets, for instance, you might choose the |
| They are going to online stores.These figures are | | | | following keywords and keyword phrases: "gift |
| good news for every business owner, particularly | | | | basket", "gift baskets", "birthday basket", "gift", |
| those in small towns. Why? To successfully compete | | | | "anniversary basket", "25th anniversary basket", "50th |
| nationwide or worldwide is no longer a problem for | | | | anniversary basket", etc. You get the picture!In addition |
| small businesses. When a business has a professional | | | | to the cheap and easy promotion tools in your eBay |
| online presence, the size and location of the business | | | | Store, there are other cheap and easy methods of |
| are not readily apparent. Anyone can compete online | | | | marketing your store. Among the many methods are: |
| with the right knowledge and tools.In addition, the cost | | | | free online classified ads, email signature lines, business |
| associated with starting a business online or moving a | | | | cards, and flyers in your brick & mortar store. Let's |
| business online is relatively cheap. It takes a website | | | | start with the free online classified ads.There are |
| and some savvy marketing skills. Let's look at how we | | | | hundreds of online sites that offer free classified ads. |
| can cost effectively achieve this.WebsitesWebsites | | | | Simply search for "free classified ads" in any search |
| can involve a lot of time and money if you are not | | | | engine. There will be hundreds! Make certain that you |
| knowledgeable about the subject. Rather than spend | | | | have a good and compelling 25-word ad for your |
| the time and money for a website right now, consider | | | | eBay Store. Then, post it everywhere you can for |
| an eBay Store as an alternative.An eBay Store gives | | | | free! Another free method is your email signature |
| you all the benefits of a website without the cost and | | | | line.You probably use email right now. Once you have |
| time. Once established, an eBay Store will provide your | | | | your eBay Store established, make certain you add |
| business with a unique web address. This web | | | | the hot link to your store right under your signature and |
| address can be promoted like any website and | | | | add that 25-word ad too. In this way, everyone that |
| included in Internet search engine results.To establish | | | | receives an email from you will receive your |
| an eBay Store, you need to sign up for a seller | | | | eBayä Store information too. And, every |
| account at eBay. They have an easy step-by-step | | | | message from you, forwarded to someone else, will |
| process for accomplishing that task. You will need to | | | | also carry your hot link too!And, last but not least, add |
| go through their five-dollar "ID Verified" process so | | | | your eBay Store information to business cards and |
| they will waive the feedback requirements for a store. | | | | flyers available in your brick and mortar store. In this |
| The first 30 days of the store is free. Then the fee is | | | | way, existing customers can check out the new store |
| $9.95 per month thereafter. To add items to your | | | | location online and refer your site to |
| store only costs pennies per item and is accomplished | | | | others.ConclusionThe future of retail is online. All the |
| through an easy to understand template.Marketing | | | | trends are pointing in that direction. The longer a small |
| Your Online PresenceOnce you have established your | | | | business waits, the farther behind they become. Don't |
| online presence via an eBay Store, it's time to promote | | | | be left behind! Start today! Ready?Michele |
| the store. There are many ways to do online | | | | Schermerhorn has over 30 years experience in the |
| promotion. They range from free and easy to | | | | business world and over 12 years running her own |
| expensive and complicated. So, let's start free and | | | | successful online businesses. She is President of Online |
| easy first.In your eBay Store, you have access to a | | | | Business Institute Inc. ( Online Business Institute Inc. |
| menu of management items. Two of these are critical | | | | exists to "Create Successful Online Business Owners |
| to your promotion of your eBayä Store | | | | One Person At A Time". |
| throughout the Internet. The first is to select the option | | | | |