6 Actionable Steps to Selling Online

Part of The ABCs of E-Commerce Webinar Series

The significant shift to learning and buying online for consumers has resulted in the need for businesses to adapt quickly in order to generate revenue and remain competitive.

In an effort to help with the economic recovery of Manitoba businesses, Red River College Polytechnic has developed a series of online workshops (webinars) called The ABCs of E-Commerce.

The series is designed for existing brick-and-mortar business owners interested in moving their operation to an online retail environment and entrepreneurs looking to start a new online business venture.

Get started by learning the six actionable steps to selling online.

1. Determine what you will sell online and prepare

• Review your inventory and research what competitors are selling online and the prices they are charging.
• Based on your best selling items and research, select the items that will be available for purchase on your website. You don’t need to list your entire inventory.
• Assemble good quality photos. Your supplier may have these available.
• Research online payment options and cost, such as PayPal.
• Research shipping options, such as dropshipping, and cost. Select a starting point, such as the Canada Post website.
• Set the online prices you’ll be charging for each item and for shipping.

2. Secure a domain name and web hosting

• Secure your online business address by paying for a domain name that matches your business name. Register your domain name through a domain registrar like GoDaddy.
• Consider purchasing domain name variants based on the suffix (.com, .ca, .net, etc.) and commons misspellings of the business name.
• Secure your online business home by paying for web hosting, which is where all website content, images and other files live. GoDaddy and Canadian Web Hosting are two popular options.
• Explore e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, which provide all-in-one solutions, including domain name registration, web hosting setup, templated website design and payment.

3. Create an e-commerce website (or convert to one)

• Think of your website as the online version of your store and consider what you want visitors to experience when they find you online.
• Make all website decisions with the customer in mind. Aim for the most important information to be accessible in three clicks or less.
• To get up and running faster, select an online marketplace (Amazon, Etsy, etc.), your own branded website using an existing e-commerce platform (Shopify, Wix, etc.), or a mix of both.
• For developing a fully customizable website or converting an existing website to an e-commerce one, use a popular content management system like WordPress and use website plugins to implement the e-commerce functionality.
• Determine whether to build the website yourself or pay a web development company to help.
• Add inventory and build out your online store.
• Ask friends, family members or a few existing customers to navigate the website and provide feedback.

4. Implement search engine optimization (SEO) and visitor tracking

• To increase the chance of appearing higher in Google search results, optimize your website content, engagement and speed.
• Be a storyteller and create compelling content.
• Write website content, including product names and descriptions, based on the terms your potential customers are searching for online. Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner for discovery and regularly add fresh, valuable content to the website.
• Using the alt tags field in your website’s online editor, write a short description of each image for visually impaired visitors and search engines.
• Add rich media, such as video, to improve your visitors’ engagement with the website.
• Speed up your website by keeping file sizes of images and PDFs low and reviewing recommendations from website speed testing tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights.
• Implement visitor and website tracking to better understand your customers and improve your rank on search engines like Google. The most popular free tools are Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

5. Be proactive in offering strong customer service

• With customer service being a crucial component of online sales, clearly describe all policies on your website and provide an easy way for customers and prospects to connect with you.
• At minimum, create a Contact page with a phone number, address (where applicable), business hours and web form that consists of name, email address and comment fields.
• Add a search box to the website to direct visitors that are lost. Search terms entered can provide valuable feedback to guide website changes.
• Consider adding a live chat bot to immediately help visitors and increase the chance of a sale being made right away.
• Respond to all inquiries sent through your website and your social media accounts within one business day and post business hours and average response time.
• Read reviews of your business and your competitors’ businesses online. Locations include social media, Google Reviews, Yelp, Yellow Pages and Better Business Bureau.
• Create separate, succinct policy pages for shipping, returns and privacy.

6. Promote your business online

• Treat social media as direct, public conversations with potential customers.
• Create social media accounts based on the networks frequented by your customers and potential customers and remain active on those networks. These may include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok and Pinterest.
• Build your own communities on social media.
• Claim your business on Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages and Better Business Bureau.
• Gather email addresses on your website by offering email newsletters that contain relevant content, exclusive perks and discount codes (virtual coupons) for your online store.
• Generate links back to your website by joining online communities like Quora that discuss topics related to your business, creating content for other people’s websites and videos, and reaching out to media outlets to share your story.
• Consider paid online advertising through Google Ads and the major social media networks to boost the visibility of your brand and your products and drive sales.

Interested in learning more?

Keep up-to-date with Red River College Polytechnic’s current and upcoming programs, courses and workshops for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Check out online micro-credential courses that align with some of the most desired skills sought by industry and those looking to start a side gig.