Online Tips
Consider the following when strategizing an online presence for a specialty division:
Design and program the site to accommodate the customer base for the division, not the overall operation.
Describe products with terms or keywords that online customers are likely to use when they’re doing searches.
Engage online customers with opportunities to ask questions, discuss issues in a forum, provide feedback, ask for quotes, and–ideally– make purchases.
Understand the nuances and costs of shipping outside the LBM operation’s geographic radius. Consider partnering with a reliable international carrier.
Keep the site current with products, pricing, and support materials to become a one-stop shop of information, services, and products.
Learn the politics of search engines, and why and how certain sites are put at the top of the list.
Get back-office systems and receiving and delivery infrastructures in place before soliciting online orders or engaging in e-commerce.
–Rich Binsacca
