The Shoe’s Path is a retail and repair shop for shoes in a small town. It has been in operation for over 25 years. It is staffed by the owner, Betty, and three additional employees. The shoes for sale in the store are of the hard-to-find variety. Betty advertises in the local newspaper and relies on foot traffic to keep the little store running successfully. These strategies worked well for a while then business went way down. What is Betty to do?
This situation is played out all over the business world in today’s economy. The average consumer has become far more sophisticated than in the past. They won’t step out the door without first doing some online comparison shopping to check out the market for the goods and services they seek. This arms them with the information as to where the best deals are and what they should pay. Everybody loves a good deal.
Betty employs a woman named Lulu who as it happens did some shopping the night before. Betty asked her how she ever found the time to shop. Lulu informed Betty that she had done all her shopping online. Betty’s interest was piqued. Their conversation continued wherein Lulu advised Betty that she ought to look into creating an internet presence as a means of increasing traffic and sales. Now Betty is no computer guru and would never consider the internet within her realm of aptitude let alone expertise.
With Lulu’s help, Betty found the solution to her problem in a school that would teach her the internet ropes and thereby, hopefully, improve her business. She called them up and signed up for classes in e-commerce and internet marketing. These courses could be taken in her own time at her own pace - important for a busy shop owner.
Before she had completed her classes she was putting her new-found knowledge to work. She found that she carried shoes that were unavailable anywhere else in town. To find a repairperson for such shoes was an extremely difficult task, if not impossible. The Shoe’s Path created a website and launched their marketing campaign.
It did not take long for business to pick up for Betty. Betty marketed as the only local shop to sell the product she offered. Sales suddenly jumped by 80%. She was also able to open an online store and sell her products over the Web to distant customers. Betty had found a way to increase her sales.
The Shoe’s Path example will fit other businesses. Any business person seeking ways to increase sales should take heed. The internet provides a business exposure like no other marketing means. It allows a brand to be noticed by a wide range of potential clients and customers.
There are also many businesses that provide the type of training that led to Betty’s success. Many are designed for the internet beginner. Business owners can learn to determine their business requirements to get the results they want. They may need to upgrade a site that is already operating, build a new site or learn about using social media to their advantage - all can be learned from a reputable internet training company. Customers will more easily find the business and discover what the business has to offer.
Business owners of large and small businesses looking for a way to increase sales and improve profits would do well to follow the example of The Shoe’s Path and Betty, the owner. The internet is a global tool and may be the answer to improved profitability no matter what type of business it is. The best news is the business owner doesn’t have to be a computer scientist to unleash the power of the internet.
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