18 www.homebusinessnetwork.co.uk Issue 2July 2009
NEED TO KNOW COMMENT COMMENT
You make me It’s all about standing
feel at home! out from the crowd
By Jane Adkins By Tessa Hood
workInG from home meant saying AS more people decide it would be preferable to be an
goodbye to the tyranny of the daily expert consultant working out of a home office, than
commute, the tedium of pointless
waiting for the axe to fall at work, many are finding
management meetings and the cruel thrust
out that the pleasure of removing the daily commuter
of office politics – all deciding factors
grind can be somewhat overshadowed by the real life
in a no brainer decision to opt for the
of self-employment.
How to commission an
welcoming portal of my front door when it
You suddenly have responsibility for your own targets
came to starting up my own business.
rather than someone else’s, you have to keep control
In today’s uncertain economic climate
ecommerce site
of a work/life balance that can be so easily upset when
running a public relations business from
not bound by corporate discipline plus you have lost
home is a very positive gesture to clients.
the ‘badge’ of being someone else’s representative. The
I am demonstrating an adjustment to a
By Benjamin Dyer
minute you stop working for a corporation, and start your
market that is no longer impressed by
own business, you stop wearing their team colours and
expensive designer offices peopled with
The choice of web designer is probably the biggest decision
need to build your own.
equally designer staff and adding up to a
a fledgling online retailer will face. There are key decisions
very “designer” consultancy fee.
rather like the footballer who, despite feeling he’s
that need to be made before you begin, so here are a few
played his best, has to take off the Premier League team
questions you should be asking:
strip and gone onto the transfer list, how do you really
❝
My trusty BlackBerry keeps feel? Did the ‘team strip’ define you, or have you been
What solution is being implemented?
me constantly in touch with
able to develop your own ‘brand’ that says everything
The answer you are looking for is a specific product and
clients, PR opportunities
you want the world to know about you? how is your
vendor name. An ecommerce solution should save time and
self esteem now that you are not ‘secure’ within the
keep costs down. It will also mean that if the designer moves
and media contacts - and corporate cuddle?
on, your site still has a future. accompanies me everywhere.
Find out the name of the ecommerce package and do your
❞
Starting your own business is an exciting, if somewhat
nerve-wracking step to take. however the crux of this is
own research on the software in question: look at existing
And being able to run my business from
that there are hundreds of ‘experts’ who have decided
stores, request a demonstration and ask for examples of
home is all thanks to technology that just
to take this step and competition in the field of expert
previous implementations. Beware of bespoke solutions
wasn’t available to most of us only a few years
consultants is now, frankly, enormous.
unless you have a substantial long-term budget.
ago. with email and internet access 24/7,
So what to do? Differentiate, differentiate, differentiate.
This research needs to be combined with a full review
communication and access to information is
what is it that sets you, as an individual, apart from your
of your plans for selling online as the proposed solution
easy. Add to that the sheer convenience of
competition? what is your differentiator? In a marketplace
must match your long term ambitions, for example, will the
being able to work where and when I want to. where the brands are equal, the brand that sets itself
software scale with the business?
After buying the ubiquitous laptop and signing apart is the one that will be successful. And branding is
up to BT wireless home hub, it was only a about you. Personal branding shapes perceptions and
How good is the design?
short hop, skip and a jump – not just into the builds reputations.
The first impression you make at your site has little to do with
garden with the laptop, but out to the park and Take a good look at yourself. Are you selling quality,
how good you are. It’s all about how good you look.
down to the local coffee shop with my handy look and feel? Are your materials that you use to
research shows a store gets three seconds before a
dongle giving me wireless free access.
sell your business, such as websites, email headers,
decision on its viability is made. In those precious moments
business cards, headed notepaper and logos absolutely
your site needs to make a great impression, establish your
up to scratch? And are you presenting yourself to your
brand and build trust. It’s a tall order, and the only way to do
optimum capability?
this is through the aesthetics of your site.
Generating an emotional response from the marketplace
A good ecommerce implementer will remember that the
can be easier than you think, your voice. Your background,
number one goal of your site is to sell. Ask questions about
your sense of humour and the way you personally dress
optimising the design for product marketing and sales.
will add valuable attributes and characteristics to your
Designs should be simple: look for answers about clear
personal brand and help to develop your all-important
navigation and obvious “add to cart” paths.
reputation. Just make sure it matches your clients’
expectations.
How will people get to your site?
Position yourself. Use personal brand marketing to
Discuss Search engine optimization (Seo) with your designer
commit your difference to your buyers’ memories.
and ensure that your site is designed to maximise its
Brands are constantly positioned. Volvo is ‘safe’, honda is
visibility with search engines. Many designers also offer Seo
‘reliable’, rolls royce is ‘class’. Make your personal brand
consultancy and Pay Per Click (PPC) advice. Make sure you
part of the marketplace’s ‘mind share’ and build it using
get this up front and not as an expensive add-on.
strategic intention to promote an honest, uncynical and
Be very wary of companies that claim to “submit sites to when it isn’t convenient to take the
strong message.
all major search engines”. In practice this means nothing laptop then another amazing 21st century
Package yourself to differentiate yourself and position
and it’s vital that the designer takes a hands-on approach invention, my trusty BlackBerry, keeps
yourself and your company in the hearts and minds of
to Seo during creation and deployment. me constantly in touch with clients, Pr
your clients. You are your product, communicate yourself.
opportunities and media contacts – and
What happens next?
accompanies me everywhere.
Tessa hood is the Founder and MD of Changing Gear Limited.
obtain a clear picture about what happens after your site is
Is there anything I don’t like about running
www.changinggear.net
handed over. All too often I talk to frustrated store owners
a home-based business? having spent
complaining about their lack of ability to add products or
half my life as a journalist working in busy
content. If you are planning on managing the site yourself,
editorial offices and the other half working
discuss training and devise a long term plan that makes you
for a lively Pr agency I can see that I might
miss the banter and lively conversation that
GrowInG a business means taking many decisions
independent of the designer.
is helpful to stimulate the creative juices.
about the way you want to expand your operations.
other fundamentals to discuss include how to take
There again with a network of contacts
Creating a strategic plan is a key component of planning
secure payments and how the site will be hosted.
and associates whom I can call upon when I
for growth. It will help you prepare a realistic vision for
need some different perspectives, and with
the future of your business and in doing so can maximise
Finally
the introduction of Skype to my laptop that
your business’ potential for growth.
remember, not knowing what you want from the beginning
allows me to make calls to international
A strategic plan should not be confused with a business
will cost a lot of money, either by retrofitting features that
clients and journalists whenever I want, it plan. A business plan is about setting short or mid-term
weren’t planned, or by paying for features you don’t need.
doesn’t seem such a hardship. however, I goals and defining the steps necessary to achieve them.
Arm yourself with as much information as possible, research
draw the line at a webcam – they might see A strategic plan is typically focused on a business’ mid-
and enjoy the experience!
me in my dressing gown – I saved the key
NEED TO KNOW
to long-term goals and explains the basic strategies for
advantage of working from home until last!
achieving them.
Benjamin Dyer is product development director at
ecommerce supplier, Actinic.
Jane Adkins is director of
Ceri Henfrey
www.actinic.co.uk
A head for Pr.
Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank
www.aheadforpr.co.uk
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