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Integrating E-Business into Your Small Business

E-Business is an Important Part of Your Business

E-business can be defined as the use of the Internet to conduct business. For the most part, e-business is about your company’s website and how you use the site (and your e-mail) to help operate and grow your business. In today’s marketplace e-business is a very important tool that can help you increase sales and reduce costs.

Why Does E-Business Matter?

E-business is very important because the number of your customers that are online and looking for information about products and services is always increasing. Consumers expect to be able to communicate with your company through your website and via e-mail. They expect your company to deliver the information they need immediately. According to Statistics Canada, in 2003 about 64 percent of Canadian households used the Internet regularly. The number of businesses using the Internet is even higher. The important point to note here is that the majority of Canadians are now Internet users, and this percent will only increase with national broadband initiatives. If you haven’t embraced the Internet yet, you are among a dwindling minority.

Key E-Business Issues to Consider

You should always think about your goals and objectives and plan how e-business is going to work for your business. Hire a professional to help you determine your needs. It is also important to consider the return on investment. Any e-business initiative should pay for itself, either by increasing your sales or reducing the costs of operating your business. When integrating e-business into your small business there are several key issues to consider, including:

  • Proper planning – Hire a professional to help you
  • Return on investment – The e-business initiative should pay for itself
  • Sales and marketing – How does e-business fit with your sales cycle?
  • Customer relationship management – Provide a superior customer experience
  • Business productivity – Increased efficiency translates to profit
  • Managing and updating your website – Stay connected with your audience