Who's Minding the Store?

You’ve set up your internet storefront. Everything is ready, and its been checked and re-checked. All the links work and there is nary a doubt in sight.

If you have other commitments, such as employment off the web, family, personal, friends,
etc. you find that you return to your storefront when you have a few free moments or just happen to be in the mood to do some surfing yourself.

When you sit down at the computer and go to your site, the question should blaze out at you as a neon sign on a cold, dreary night. “Who’s Minding the Store?” Have you checked your e-mail to see if any prospect or customer had a question or concern? Are there comments, suggestions, or ideas that others have kindly forwarded to you and now they deserve an answer or response? If your having a bad day, choose your words very carefully when you respond to anyone. They should be sweet and tender for tomorrow you may just have to eat them. Has a market issue changed enough to put you one step behind everyone else that is marketing a similar product/service? Are there new updates or revisions on anything you are marketing?

These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself as you return to your storefront to find that the front door is creaking a bit and dust is collecting on the shelves. In other words, selling anything on the internet is a commitment. Its just the same as anything that is worthwhile in life. You took the time to create a perfect
site, found a product/service that you believe in, and you went ahead to attract potential visitors/subscribers/buyers. They presume that you are there (somewhere) and that you are ready to help them make their decision to buy your product. Now, you have to take the time to be there, respond as quickly as you can to their concerns, or questions, and yes, make changes because nothing stays the same.

While you were gone from your internet storefront, new innovations, ideas, techniques, products, and a myriad of similar competitive fronts have arisen and just may interrupt or do major damage to your possible customer list. Keeping up with what is happening on the web is a very vital part of any internet marketing program. If you fall behind your rivals, and your customers sense a lack of up-to-date information, then your storefront is headed for cyberspace inequity.

It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, just quality time. Your first time restraints should be to your customers, then to your prospective customers, and then to all would-be surfers who just might begin filtering into the other two categories. If you give current information, good service, and reliability, this will give any visitor to your site the impression that you are on top of things so that they can stay informed, you will be there if they purchase and have questions or concerns, and that they can return because you will still be in business. Your commitment turns into trust for your clientele. Trust is the most imperative virtue on the internet. Without trust, they may buy once, and never return, or they will return but asking for a refund.

If you plan on marketing on the internet, project enough time to “mind the store”. Then visitors don’t have to ask“Who’s Minding the Store?” because they will be able to see quality as soon as they step inside.
ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur