Web Management Group

How much do you value your website?

2007-05-10T16:12:00.000-05:00

Most of the calls we get at WMG have to deal with webmasters or developers walking out on someone or a company. Typically, they walk out at a crucial time when a key update on the website needs to be done. Some of the comments we get are:

“My webmaster is the only one that had access to my website, and he won’t return my calls. What can I do?”

“My webmaster disappeared and I don’t have a back up of my website.”

“My webmaster still has access to my website and makes changes without my authorization.”

So on and so on…

As you can imagine, the first question we get is: “How much do you charge for your website management service?” After a brief conversation, the call usually ends because the other person on the line feels our services are too expensive. Recently, we had a call from someone because his customers could not log into his company’s extranet. This person proceeded to tell us that this was an extreme emergency and it was vital that his extranet was backup and running for his customers. We said we could help. When we told him our emergency rate for handling the problem RIGHT NOW he said “Thanks, but no thanks,” and hung up the phone.

I guess it wasn’t a really extreme emergency!

Why do people continue to under appreciate the value of their websites? Why do they want to hire a low value resource that in the end costs more? Those who highly value their websites get professional support to make sure their online businesses run smoothly. They understand that in the long run, they will spend less money and energy on their websites and have better results. As they say, you get what you pay for!

A Ferrari for the cost of a Ford????!!!!!!!

2007-05-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks we've been contacted by a number of prospects that wanted a website designed and developed from scratch. Or in some cases, they were looking to have their website redesigned. So we discussed their requirements, what they were hoping to gain from the website, and looked at some sample sites that they liked.

In one case, a gentleman walked us through his competitor's site. He said he wanted a site with the same functionalities as his competitor but obviously with his company's branding. So we said that it could be done. Next question, as you can imagine, was the budget question. He said he didn't have one, but that he had visited a site that was offering to build an ecommerce website for about $500!!!!!! To make a long story short, his competitor's website was a database-driven website with, I'm sure, a management system on the backend and all the bells and whistles...in other words, a Ferrari of a website. His competitor easily made an investment on this site of at least $50,000.

As you can imagine, this prospect did not end up being a client of ours.

I guess the big question is, why is it that people out there are so unrealistic as to how much it cost to design and develop a professionally built website? Why is it that people are trying to get a Ferrari for the price of a Ford?

10 GOLD advices before starting an ecommerce business

2006-12-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

An e commerce website can be the next step for your business strategy to increase your sales and presence in your specific marketplace. Implementing an e-commerce site represents a new strategy for business growth. You have an opportunity to expand your marketplace and reach new goals with your company, do not hesitate, let’s build your online store! If you’re still hesitant, take the time to read about the mistakes other companies have made in implementing an e-commerce website.

Advice 1: Targeting Internet clients
Positioning your online business requires the same type of strategy planning as with any offline business. You have to market your products to the correct target market. This must be clearly communicated on your website.

Advice 2: Increasing your sales
Online communication with yours customers is essential to attract their attention. You have to figure out their needs and address them online.

Advice 3: Importance of your online operation
Your online operation must be ready before you start attracting clients. Things to keep in mind include: how your shopping will operate, integration with fulfillment systems, and customer service. Make sure that you have over these things and have established a process; any problem with one of the elements above can crash your business online.

Advice 4: Where do you plane to sell?
Your decision is to sell overseas. Before crossing any borders, make sure to know the how business is conducted in the location where you will be selling. Each country has in own rules.

Advice 5: Technical issues
There are lots of prepackaged e-commerce solutions out there. Before you decide which one makes the most sense for you, take a look at the technology issues related to doing business online.

Advice 6: Build your website
Now that you’ve gained knowledge on how to establish an online business, you still have one problem: How do you develop it?
One way is to hire an internal web development. The other way is to outsource the development to a company experienced in building online businesses.

Advice 7: customer relationship
Your clients must believe in your services and products. The only way to achieve this is to provide superb customer services; whether by phone, email or through chat. You are only the one that can make them feel comfortable in buying your products or services.

Advice 8: Maintain Constant Contact with your Customers
Keep in contact with your customers on a regular basis through the use of online tools such enewsletters, e books, email offers, etc. This will help you maintain a relationship with them and have them come back to purchase on your site. Anticipate their needs; give them a reason to come back and buy online again!

Advice 9: Build new professional partnerships
Find partners that can offer products or services that your customers would be interested in. This will help you increase the number of services or products you have to offer.

Advice 10: Be an innovator
The Internet is a new technology. Find creative ways of using this new technology to take your offline business and expanding it through a virtual world. Use your imagination to expand your business with this new technology.

Martin LEMAIRE
WMG - http://www.webmanagementgroup.com/

eCommerce retailers takeoff, how do you join them?

2006-11-03T13:22:00.000-05:00

The ecommerce retail market is increasing and is taking a new business dimension as reported in the US Census Bureau News August, 2006, article titled “E-commerce retail in the second quarter 2006 estimate increased 23.0 percent ($26.3 billion) from 2005 while total retail sales increased 6.6 percent ($984.9 billion) in the same period.” Ecommerce retail sales are still only 2.7% of overall retail sales in the US. This represents a great opportunity to increase your company’s revenue through online sales.

So you are a retailer who wants to sell online? But, you don’t have the resources to launch an online retail operation by yourself. One option that you have is to outsource the development of an online operation to a company that specializes in doing this. This will help you stay focused on your business while you open up another sales channel.

The difficult part about outsourcing is who should you contact?

Before you start looking for an outsourcing partner, you must define:
- What should you expect an outsourcing company?
- What are you expecting from your business online?
- Do you want to sell online or just have an online presence?
- If you chose to sell your products or services online, what kind of sales strategy will you need to implement?

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to look for the cheapest way of setting up an online store such as using a freelance web developer. This is a BIG mistake and WRONG strategy!!!! As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. A freelancer is more economical upfront than a professional company. However, following are some freelancing scenarios you should consider before you go this route:

- An undergraduate or graduate student who is trying to make some extra money during his studies. If you hire this person, what will happen when he graduates? Will he continue working for you as a freelancer? What will you do if he decides to leave your online business and he’s the only one that knows everything about your website?
- An independent who controls your entire website. What do you do if this person gets more clients and is no longer able to make your website a priority? What if he or she disappears and you can’t reach them anymore? What if he or she gets sick and isn’t available to take care of your site?

These are very important issues to consider for your online business. You could lose more money through one of the scenarios listed above because of not wanting to pay for professional website management assistance.

You use professional services for your offline business. Why should it be any different with your online venture?

Martin LEMAIRE
www.webmanagementgroup.com

WMG Presentation

2006-10-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone, my name is Martin LEMAIRE and I’m the web marketing & sales associate at Web Management Group (WMG). Our company provides website management services to businesses that are interested in taking their business to the next level through the internet. If you want to expend your business through the fantastic tool that is the Internet but don’t know how to do because it is not your core business, let us do it for you!!!

If you are interested, please visit our website to learn about our different solutions:

http://www.webmanagementgroup.com/

In the first edition of our blog, I will describe for you:

- What the WMG Company is

- Our Customers

- WMG services

1. WMG

As mentioned above, WMG wants to help small businesses that are interested in increasing their revenues through the web. Today, the internet is an indispensable tool in terms of communication and you are able to gain information all over the world. Why don’t you take your chance to sell your products through the internet and specifically your website? You’ve heard that you can gain different business opportunities in extending your marketplace oversea or in other parts of the US! Only ONE problem faces you: your business core is not the web technology and you have no idea how to build a reliable and efficiencient website to increase your business.

There’s a solution for you: an outsourcing web management company!!! Here we come to help and follow you like a partner in your online business or not only like an outsourcer.

2. Customer Profile

WMG specializes in website headache relief for small businesses. People often find us when they are desperately searching for a "cure" for their biggest headache: unreliable website service. Read their stories and find out about the WMG cure.

http://www.webmanagementgroup.com/clients.aspx

3. Services

Our goal is to help clients increase their revenues and realize the perfect online tool to increase their visibility and sell in their market.

- Web Management

Turn over to WMG the day-to-day management and maintenance of your website, and you're free to concentrate on running and improving your business.

- Website emergency support

Whether you're calling us for the first time in a crisis, or for a problem down the road, we'll be there for you when you call and give your emergency the quick attention it needs.

- Search Engine Marketing

We know how to strategically position key words and phrases within your website, so that your site is one of the first to come up on the popular search engines.

- Web application development

We utilize today's best business practices in design and functionality, to ensure that your website meets your business's unique needs.

After this brief presentation if you are interested in more information about what services Web Management Group can provide you & how we can help your business take on another dimension, click on this link:

http://www.webmanagementgroup.com/

Martin LEMAIRE

Marketing & Sales Associate

mlemaire@webmanagementgroup.com