E-Business Essentials (Creating Success)

Description: Few can afford to ignore the impact of the Internet on business; a Web site is no longer an optional extra. Today every business is expected to have a Web site and keep intouch via e-mail, in addition to informing and interacting with its on-line customers. 'E-Business Essentials' aims to provide you with the knowledge necessary to make a success of your e-business activity, whether purely online or as support to your offline business. Accessible advice is given on a range of topics including: understanding the Internet; creating your Web site; making money online; customer service online; choosing the right search engine; building your e-brand. Whether you are a 'net novice or a veteran, this practical guide provides the information that helps you to capitalise on the unique characteristics of the Internet and harness its power. Table of Contents: Part 1 The Internet and Business: Understanding the Internet; About this book; Five web watch words; Doing business from the 'outside in'; Net benefits; More than the Web; The Internet and the real world; The future of business; Summary. Part 2 Getting started: What you will need; Choosing an Internet Service Provider; An e-mail account; Your own domain name; Selecting a Domain Name; A domain suffix; Seeking investment; Plan your objectives; Market research; Search engines; Bookmarks; Discussion groups; Identifying your audience; Summary. Part 3 Creating Your Web Site: Using an agency; Working with HTML code; DIY HTML; 10 HTML Commands; Web Design Software; Setting up shop online; Secure Server Software; The Ten Commandments of Web Site Design; Web Design Sites; Summary. Part 4 Making money online: Selling your own products online; Products which sell well online; Selling services online; Becoming an online merchant; Selling advertising space on yoursite; Affiliate Programs; Signing up to an affiliate program; Affiliate networks; Set up your own program; Affiliate directories; Summary. Part 5 Supporting customers online; Fulfilment; Getting people to buy online; Customer research online; Building Trust; E-mail support; E-mail support; Summary. Part 6 Search Engine Success: Keywords; Finding the right keywords; META tags; Add keywords to the main text; Submitting your site; Submitting Keywords and Descriptions; Keyword help; Submitting to Yahoo!; Beyond keywords; Evaluate your success; Seven deadly search engine sins; Be patient; Summary. Part 7 Promoting your site: Seek reciprocal links; Contact the online media; Contribute to newsgroups; Advertising; Banner exchange programs; Web Rings; Promoting at your site; Customer service; Set up an e-mailing list; Promoting your site in the real world; Summary. Part 8 Building your e-brand: Brand power; Information and interactivity; Personalisation; Set up an online forum; Add a guestbook; Include a search engine; Run a chat room; Think fast and fresh; Be imaginative; Think laterally; Exclusive information; Incorporate feedback; Learning from successful e-brands; Summary. Part 9 The Internet inside your business: E-mail; Developing an e-mail policy; E-mail netiquette; E-newsletters within your business; Internal e-mailing lists; Web sites and your staff; Intranets; Summary. Author Biography: Matt Haig is CEO of Peppermint PR, an Internet marketing company based in the North of England which was established in November 1998. The company provides various e-marketing services (including e-PR) for a number of UK based clients. It also offers a widely used online consultation service, to help companies conduct their own e-marketing and e-PR activity. This service is the first of its kind and as such has won Peppermint PR considerable acclaim throughout the industry. In addition, Matt is a regular contributor to various national and international publications. His writing on the Internet has appeared in The Independent, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Internet Monthly, The Business Review, E-First, Marketing Week (US and UK) Internet Money as well as on many web sites. He also edits and contributes a popular e-marketing newsletter which now has over 10,000 subscribers. Independently of Peppermint, Matt has acted as an e-marketing consultant for various high profile companies including the travel operator Thomas Cook. He has also conducted talks on e-business and e-marketing at several UK universities. Matt is currently working on four more Internet titles due for publication by Kogan Page next year.