Digitalize Your Small Business Strategy by Creating an eCommerce & Social Media

Understanding the Digital Potential of Your Business

Outline New Revenue Streams
Share your progress in your project section to get feedback from other students

Drill Down Into eCommerce

Outline your eCommerce Plan
Share your progress in your project section to get feedback from other students

The Big 4 of Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest

Platform Creation and/or Deep Dives
Share your progress in your project section to get feedback from other students

‘Systemizing’ Your New eCommerce Focus: Delegate, Measure & Report

Make Your Monthly Strategy/Measurement Plan
Share your progress in your project section to get feedback from other students

Additional Resources

This week will be about understanding the answers to the following question: “What would happen if your doors CLOSED to walk-in customers for one month? How would you generate sales?” At Butter Lane, we’ve developed a few different ways, including website sales and delivery, selling cupcake-making classes, gift cards and daily deals. We also have some ideas in the pipeline, such as licensing our cakes/flavors, selling on Amazon/Facebook, VIP Corporate Parties, ad space on Youtube and advertising the shop as a location, for filming, etc

This article from NYT "You're The Boss"
This week, will we examine the two main buckets of eCommerce: Ongoing and One-time/Occasional. For Ongoing, consider that website sales should be at least 10% of sales, while “Smart Partnerships" (ala Seamless,) should be easy "Biz Dev" deals that bring 'gravy' to your revenues. One-time/occasional eCommerce tactics include Special Campaigns (Eblasts, Holiday Specials, Amex SBS, Daily Deals), amounting to 25% of your revenue.

What Must a Brick & Mortar Business Do to Transfer it’s Strategy to eCommerce Strategy
This week, we discuss "The Big 4" for a retail brand: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, with the next tier being Linkedin, Google +, YouTube & Tumblr (or any blog platform), with an emphasis on monetizing these platforms and maximizing impact.

- Watch this Seth Godin video
- Read NYT's You're the Boss on F-Commerce
- Check out Social Media Explained wiht Donuts
This week, we discuss simple systems that can help you stick to your goals:
- eCommerce: Tracking your sales and recalibrating your Goals
- Scheduling your time efficiently - Delegating the $10 tasks so you can focus on $10k
- Weekly Reports: Setting up reports that keep you in the loop, without sucking up your time
- Social Media: Understanding the Stats you need to watch

MaryAnne Hoekstra

Owner, H.S. Chocolate Co.

--

2