Running a business in 2020 means getting your online knowledge up to scratch. Even if the business you own usually operates in a physical capacity – such as a restaurant or store – since the coronavirus pandemic began, business has largely moved to online platforms. Whether you were forced to move online due to COVID-19 restrictions, or have decided to create an online platform to cut costs, running a business online is a much different routine to an in-person company. If you are new to this way of operating, you might be totally overwhelmed by the shift. Read on to find tips for moving your business from a physical operation to an online platform.

 

Creating A Persona Online

One thing that many business owners struggle to do at first is to create their persona, their brand, online. When you run a small business, your customer service and atmosphere does this work for you; your customers know what to expect from you, and can enjoy the overall ambience of the place. But when you move a business online, it can be tricky to transfer this personality from the physical space you used to have, to a website. So how can this be achieved?

 

Firstly, use social media. Social media allows you to connect on a personal level with customers; the interactive nature of social media gives room to establish your brand more solidly. With social media business settings, you can effectively advertise on social media, reaching out more broadly to your customers in a personalized way which emanates the atmosphere you once created in your space.

 

Keeping Your Software Simple

When moving your business online, the choices of advertising, website platforms, accounting software and selling platforms is astronomical. It is easy to become entirely overwhelmed by the number of avenues you can take when buying or subscribing to business software. The key thing about moving your business online is to keep the software simple. You need three key things to make a business work online:

 

 

1) Cybersecurity.

To keep your details and the details of your customers safe online, you need an effective cybersecurity plan. This doesn’t have to reach the high-security levels of municipal software or that of large chain corporations, but it definitely needs to cover the basics. To learn more about cybersecurity for online business, seek professional IT advice before launching your business online.

 

2) Effective marketing.

Your marketing outreach will change from physical advertising – a store front, perhaps – to an entirely virtual form of marketing. Utilizing social media, SEO techniques and pay-per-click ads are all viable ways to make your marketing strategy work for your target audience. 

 

3) Reliability.

Lastly, your software choices need to be reliable. If you are signing on with a cloud computing server provider, ensure they are reputable and highly regarded before diving in. Similarly, your site provider should have 24/7 support, to help you get your site back on its feet if it experiences trouble.

 

In conclusion, moving your business online can be stressful; by using these key tips, you will be well on your way to online business success!