In recent years we have seen the Internet rise in its ability to capture adult media attention to number 2, just behind television. And in addition to that the number of older adults, those 55 years and up now account for almost one-third of all users. So the internet is no longer a young mans game. What these statistics mean for the internet advertiser is that the population of people with money to purchase is continuing to grow as well. Another plus for internet e-commerce is this. We’ve just gone through significant gas price increases and, although they have dropped, we are recently seeing a gradual creep in prices again. More and more focus is being placed upon green power and conservation. This general growth in social consciousness will only serve to fuel internet and shopping cart usage. A final change we can expect to see is more equal usage across demographic groups were, traditionally, higher income families were more likely to shop on-line.

Any company that is able too but is not doing business over the internet is putting themselves at an extreme disadvantage. Consider the following. According to statistics recently released by eMarketer the US is expected to see their on-line shopping grow at 65% from 2008 to 2013.To put it in a more meaningful way, revenues will go from $113B to $203B US. Hard on its heels Canadians will also see very strong on-line shopping growth. Their growth is anticipated to grow from $13.8B in 2007 to $22.8B by 2012. Therefore, any business not engaged in a shopping cart solution has certainly not missed the boat and they can learn a lot from others as they climb on board.

Although it is easy for anyone to fall victim to the negativity surrounding today’s economic reality, our world is still full of opportunity if we know where to look. The availability of the Internet provides each of us with a worldwide audience ready to see what we have. And the presence of Internet e-commerce or Shopping Cart technology means all of us are just one step away from building our own personal safety net. Multiple income streams are a reality for anyone with an idea or product and the determination to spend the time to understand how it all links together. And even if you don’t have a product of your own, the availability of many excellent Affiliate Programs allows anyone with a web site to use another’s products or services to generate an income as they start up and nurture their own idea. The Affiliate Program is also an excellent way to understand the mechanics of the internet and shopping cart technology while you grow your idea.

The internet has spawned a number of other social advertising formats such as Face Book, U-Tube, Twitter and more. This has caused a shift away from traditional and more expensive advertising media such as papers and yellow books. So, in addition to their reach advantages these new social media are providing cost containment for today’s financially stretched businesses. And this is accelerating the migration away from paper based solutions. Their reach is also a plus. Although everyone agrees that the economy is more challenging it is not bad everywhere. As in any down market there are always people and places that continue to thrive. The internet’s reach means that you have access to these markets and all the emerging and improving markets as conditions change and previously depressed areas being their economic recovery. Your presence on the internet combined with your shopping cart solution means that you are they when they are ready.

Just being on the internet ready with an e-commerce solution does not guarantee your success. If your shopping cart has auto-responder capabilities or the ability to automatically send out e-mails thanking your customers for buying and helping them get started, that’s a big plus. But today’s competitive reality means you need more. Everyone is eyeing the internet as a potential safety net but as in any business the individuals working the smartest will be the ones that are most successful. First of all we have to acknowledge that there are two types of buyers. The people ready right now and the people looking to gather information for a future decision. Your success in the now market will be a function of your website, e-commerce solution and marketing strategy when they arrive at the site. Your future shoppers are more of a challenge. They are surfing to gather as much information as they can on their particular area of interest. Once they’ve visited your site you need to begin a multi-media approach of educating and training them on your product or service and provide them the validation they need to accept the fact that your solution is the best and you are recognized as an expert in your area. In this case you need to engage the services of a different expert in marketing. For an example of a company with these credentials check out www.AutomatedMarketingSolutions.com. The social networks such as Face Book, U-tube, Twitter and others are excellent for staying in touch with your prospective market when you want to see how your product or service is being received, for testing ideas and to keep up to date with any negative service issues as they arise. The most important thing to remember is to not limit yourself in how you reach out to your prospects and do not limit the ways they can stay in touch with you.

If there is anything we can learn from the large organizations around us today it could be this. More and more they are recognizing the need to develop marketing programs that integrate both the internet and their traditional media. A report released in Feb. 2009 of CMO priorities for 2009 indicated that this ranked 2nd on their list of top 10. They are doing it to cut overhead and traditional advertising costs and to capitalize on its popularity. For the small to medium business or work from home entrepreneur, the same benefits hold true. The ease of set up, the ability to get to market with a product or idea and the shopping cart capabilities levels the playing ground for all of us. The thing that sets us apart will be the effectiveness with which any individual or company uses these tools to attract and convert.

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