Over the past few years, many communities have provided small business grants to small businesses that were negatively affected by the pandemic. But businesses that launched during this period were often left out of these programs. Now, Illinois is working on a new program to support businesses that started during 2020 and 2021. Read about this program and more in the list below.
Illinois B2B New Business Grant Program
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is partnering with Lendistry to run a small business grant program aimed at businesses that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Back to Business New Business Grant Program will provide reimbursement funds between $5,000 and $30,000 to eligible small businesses. The program specifically aims to support businesses in industries that were most negatively affected by the pandemic and did not qualify for state grants or federal emergency support due to their startup status. To qualify, businesses must have a date of incorporation between January 2020 and December 2021. Lendistry and the state will take many factors into account when determining grant amounts, including the date of incorporation and whether the business has a brick-and-mortar or home-based location.
Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program
New York state is offering grants of up to $100,000 to help small businesses in Niagara Falls make various improvements. The program includes a total of $5 million in funding, which is allocated for businesses along Pine Avenue, Main Street, and Portage Road. The Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program will provide grants to cover up to half of the total costs of each project, up to $100,000 per property. Eligible expenses include facade restoration and other mixed-use building upgrades.
York County 2023 BLOOM Grant Program
York County, Pennsylvania is supporting local women-owned small businesses through its 2023 BLOOM Grant Program. The BLOOM Business Empowerment Center, a program of the York County Economic Alliance, is facilitating the program. Eligible businesses owned and operated by women can apply for grants of up to $1,500. The organization will consider each business’s need and the potential impact of their project when determining grant amounts. December 1 is the deadline to apply for the program.
San Marcos Minority Business Stabilization Fund
San Marcos, Texas is offering grants to minority entrepreneurs and small business owners who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city council allocated about $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Minority Business Stabilization Fund. To qualify, applicants must be in continual operation within San Marcos for at least 12 months before the application date. Grant amounts can range from $1,000 for self-employed entrepreneurs to $10,000 for businesses with up to 25 full-time employees.
Adirondack Rail Trail Small Business Grant
The Franklin County Economic Development Corporation is partnering with the towns of Tupper Lake and Harrietstown, New York to apply for grant funding to improve the Adirondack Railroad and Adirondack Rail Trail. While the towns would receive funding from the grant, the availability of funds could lead to infrastructure and service improvements that also benefit local businesses. And the application must show sufficient need and interest from local businesses. So businesses can fill out an online interest and eligibility form to submit project proposals. The deadline for local businesses to submit proposals is December 11.
SCORE Foundation Educational Programming Grants
The SCORE Foundation, the philanthropic arm of business mentorship organization SCORE, recently announced the receipt of financial support for various educational and training programs to benefit small business owners. Specifically, the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation is providing financial support for the workshop “Simple Steps for Finding the Right Funding.” And The LPL Financial Foundation is supporting a three-part series of national webinars on business planning. Both organizations have supported SCORE’s programming in past years as well.
You don’t need to spend all day cooped up in an office to run a successful business. In fact, there are many outdoor business ideas that could help you create a successful career while enjoying nature. Here are some options to consider.
What is an outdoor business?
An outdoor business includes a variety of operations that primarily or partially take place in outdoor settings. The nature of these businesses often capitalizes on the appeal of the outdoors, whether for leisure, adventure, or practical purposes. Here are some key aspects:
Primary Outdoor Operations: These businesses are predominantly conducted in open-air environments. Examples include adventure sports services, outdoor event planning, landscaping, and farming. These ventures leverage the natural environment as a fundamental resource for their operations.
Indoor-Outdoor Combination: Some outdoor businesses require a blend of outdoor activity and indoor work. For instance, a tour company might conduct tours outdoors but handle bookings and marketing from an office. Similarly, a gardening service might perform the physical work in gardens but do planning and client communication indoors.
Seasonal Adaptability: Many outdoor businesses are seasonal, thriving in specific weather conditions. For example, a ski rental service would be in demand during winter, while a beach equipment rental service would see more business in summer.
Nature-Based Services: These businesses focus on offering services that are directly related to nature and outdoor experiences, such as wildlife photography courses, bird-watching tours, or outdoor yoga classes.
Product Sales and Rentals: Outdoor businesses often include the sale or rental of equipment related to outdoor activities, like camping gear, hiking equipment, or water sports gear.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Focus: There’s a growing trend of outdoor businesses that not only operate in nature but also promote environmental sustainability. These might include eco-tours, conservation-focused workshops, or organic farming.
Health and Wellness Oriented: Many outdoor businesses are aligned with health and wellness, offering activities like fitness boot camps, outdoor meditation sessions, or therapeutic nature walks.
Event-Based Operations: This includes businesses that operate around outdoor events, such as wedding venues in natural settings, outdoor concert organizing, or food vendors for festivals and fairs.
Relatedly, here’s a word from UpFlip about a lucrative business that blends a little bit of indoor business with a lotta the outdoors:
Why should you start your own business outdoors?
If you’re thinking of starting a business in 2023, here are some reasons to consider the outdoor business ideas below:
Enjoy time in nature: Many people enjoy spending time outdoors. And nature can benefit both your physical and mental health.
Save money: Without a dedicated building, it may be less expensive to start your business.
Gain location flexibility: Many outdoor business ideas can also be run from various locations. So you could travel or choose where to run your operations.
Latch onto popular industries: There are many outdoor business ideas that are part of increasingly popular industries like wellness and travel.
Choose from various business types: There are many types of businesses that can be run mainly in outdoor spaces. So you can choose those that are most relevant to your interests and those you have good knowledge about.
What is the best outdoor business to start?
There are many outdoor business ideas that suit various interests and skill sets. If you’re looking to start a lucrative business that can work in nearly any market, consider options like landscaping or outdoor cleaning services.
How We Chose the Best Outdoor Business Ideas
When we looked for the top outdoor business ideas to recommend to you, our small business owners and entrepreneurs, we didn’t just pick at random. Here’s how we make sure each idea is a winner:
Market Demand (Scale: Very Important): We check if there’s a real need or desire for the business in the market. High demand means more potential customers.
Initial Investment (Scale: Important): Some ideas need more money to start than others. We consider how much you’ll need to invest upfront.
Profitability Potential (Scale: Very Important): We look at how much money the business could make. A great idea should have the potential for good profits.
Skills and Expertise Required (Scale: Important): Some businesses need special skills or knowledge. We think about what you’ll need to know to succeed.
Seasonality (Scale: Moderately Important): Many outdoor businesses are seasonal. We consider how the business will do year-round.
Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness (Scale: Moderately Important): We value businesses that are good for the planet. Eco-friendly ideas can also attract more customers.
Location Dependency (Scale: Important): Some outdoor businesses work better in certain places. We look at how location affects success.
Scalability (Scale: Moderately Important): We consider if the business can grow over time. Being able to expand is key for long-term success.
Work-Life Balance (Scale: Moderately Important): We think about how the business will fit into your life. A good idea shouldn’t mean working all the time.
Legal and Regulatory Requirements (Scale: Important): We check what laws or rules might affect the business. It’s important to know what you’re getting into.
Best Ideas for Outdoor Businesses
If you want to start your own business but don’t want to be chained to a desk, there are plenty of profitable business ideas you can run mainly outside. Here are some of the best outdoor business ideas for you to consider in 2023.
1. Gardening and Landscaping Business
A landscaping service can be a very lucrative business opportunity that offers various services to potential customers. You may focus mainly on lawn mowing and maintenance, or you could do gardening or complete landscaping overhauls.
2. Campground
Campgrounds offer space for campers to rent alongside various outdoor activities like hiking, boating, and bonfires. This type of business may require significant space but is a mainstay in the outdoor industry.
3. Golf Course
A golf course can be a profitable venture for those who are able to put in some time and investment into designing the course. Earn money through tee times, equipment rentals, and special events.
4. Summer Camp
With some space and fun outdoor activities for kids, you can start the perfect summer camp that campers will return to year after year.
5. Mobile Car Wash
Offer mobile car washing services to local drivers where you travel to their location to provide car wash and detailing.
6. Tour Guide Business
If you’re based in an area that’s popular with tourists and want to explore travel business ideas, start your own tour guide service where you show visitors around or provide information from a mobile kiosk.
7. Dog Walking
Dog walking is an in-demand service in nearly every market. And you need almost nothing to get started. Just post signs or connect with local pet owners online.
8. Trail Guide
Offer to show locals or visitors around on their hiking trips. Provide walking tours of local trails or provide maps and other resources.
9. Marina
If you have some space on a body of water, offer a marina where boat owners can rent space to store their boats or launch them into the water.
10. Ski Lessons
Those in winter destinations can make money by offering ski lessons in partnership with ski resorts or local organizations that specialize in outdoor recreation.
11. Outdoor Equipment Rentals
Rent out equipment to locals or visitors that they can use for outdoor activities or projects. This may include kayaks and canoes for those on water or specialized landscaping equipment for those in residential communities.
12. Adventure Sports Park
Offer a space where people can come to enjoy various outdoor adventure sports like rock climbing or zip lining.
13. Landscape Photographer
Photographers can make money photographing clients outdoors or simply shoot images of beautiful scenery and sell those photos online.
14. Landscape Designer
Those with a vast knowledge of design can help homeowners and businesses create custom landscape design plans to maximize their outdoor spaces.
15. Ice Cream Stand
If you’re looking for classic small-town business ideas, start an ice cream stand that serves customers from a small cart or window.
16. Farmers Market Vendor
If you grow food or produce small consumer goods, approach local organizations about starting a farmers market where you can sell your products from an outdoor stand.
17. Boat Rentals
Those in the boating industry can either rent vessels to licensed boaters or offer boat hiring, where people can pay for a boat, captain, and crew for a set period. Many people also rent boats for special events.
18. Dog Training Service
If you love working with animals, start a small outdoor training facility where you work with dogs on tricks and obedience.
19. Outdoor Events Venue
Dedicate an outdoor space to use for events like weddings, carnivals, or festivals.
20. Animal Rental Service
Rent animals for events, petting zoos, pony rides, or various occasions.
21. Tree Service
If you’re looking for mostly offline business ideas that require lots of outdoor time, consider starting a tree service. You can help landowners plant trees, care for mature trees, and even remove diseased trees from their properties.
22. Plant Nursery
Grow plants or source them from local providers and then start a small nursery or greenhouse where consumers can purchase them.
23. Produce Farm
If you have significant outdoor space, look into produce that grows well in your climate and start your own farm. Organic produce has been especially in demand over the past decade. And you can sell products to wholesalers or open up your own farm stand to sell directly to consumers.
24. Horse Stable
If you prefer working with animals, start a horse stable where riders can rent space or learn how to interact with horses.
25. Livestock Farm
Farmers may also choose to focus on livestock. There are various animals you can raise for meat, dairy, or other resources.
26. Junk Cleanup Service
Offer hauling and junk removal services to homeowners, businesses, and construction crews. This type of work often requires time both indoors and outdoors.
27. Power Washing Service
Invest in power washing equipment to clean off building exteriors, concrete, and other outdoor surfaces and hard-to-reach spots.
28. Bicycle Repair Service
Offer bicycle repair services out of a garage, or provide mobile services where you travel to customers with the right equipment and parts.
29. Pool Cleaning Service
Offer pool cleaning services throughout the summer. This can be a lucrative business opportunity since it often involves lots of repeat clients.
30. Roofing Company
For those interested in providing home services, roofing is always in-demand. And crews spend the vast majority of their time outdoors.
31. House Painting Service
House painting is another home service that often includes tons of outdoor time, though some painters provide interior services as well. Entrepreneurs who want to maximize time in the great outdoors could focus solely on exterior painting.
32. Window Washing Service
With a window washing service, you can provide both interior and exterior options, but businesses and building owners with lots of stories and hard-to-reach windows often pay a premium for this service.
33. Fence Company
Install fences for local homeowners and businesses. This requires access to various equipment and some basic construction knowledge. This can be its own business plan or be an additional service for a larger contracting business.
34. Outdoor Fitness Classes
Help local fitness enthusiasts get exercise while enjoying some fresh air. Everything from CrossFit to yoga can be offered outdoors.
35. Hunting Guide
If you’re looking for popular rural business ideas, consider providing services as a hunting guide. You can rent space and/or lead people through the area. This is part of small-town business ideas that can bring revenues to areas looking for economic growth.
36. Christmas Tree Farm
Those looking for vacant land business ideas could plant evergreen trees and then make extra money throughout the winter by welcoming visitors who want to cut down their own Christmas trees.
37. Flea Market
Flea markets are popular in many communities. Start your own or offer various goods as a vendor if there are already popular options in your area.
38. Snow Clearing Service
During winter, clear snow for homeowners and businesses in exchange for a small fee.
39. Pet Cleanup Business
You can also charge pet owners a fee for cleaning up their yards on an ongoing basis.
40. Fishing Guide
Those who live near water can earn income by taking fishermen out on boats with them and serving as a guide to the area.
41. Winery
Grow your own grapes and welcome visitors for tours and/or outdoor wine-tasting events.
42. Woodworking
If you’re looking for backyard business ideas, consider setting up a small woodworking shop where you can create various products, from custom millwork to furniture.
43. Adventure Club
An adventure club can include various activities for the outdoors-loving entrepreneur and others in their area. Guide people on various excursions, from biking tours to adventure trips.
44. Courier Service
Start a courier or delivery service where you take documents or packages to people and businesses. These couriers often travel by foot or bike.
45. Pest Control Service
Offer pest control treatments for homeowners and businesses. This often involves inspecting and treating both the inside and outside of buildings.
46. Mobile Advertising
Offer mobile advertising space on a car, bike, or other surfaces that you can move around town. This may involve connecting with relevant businesses online. But then you simply display your ad wherever you travel outdoors.
47. Sports Coaching
Those interested in sports business ideas can offer individual or small group coaching for specific sports. For example, you may serve as a private tennis instructor or a pitching coach who works with young kids looking to improve between seasons.
48. Driving School
Help teens and adults learn to drive while you travel around town with them and participate in parking and driving tests. States generally regulate these schools and testing bodies, so check with your local government to make sure you meet the relevant requirements.
49. Towing Service
Entrepreneurs with a tow truck can also start a roadside assistance business to help those needing a tow or various other services like a jump start or tire change.
50. Coffee Cart
Start your own coffee cart that you can wheel around town to serve people on the go throughout your community. You’ll likely need a local vendor license. But these companies keep costs low and can travel to various high-traffic areas.
Table: Best Ideas for Outdoor Businesses
This table from our list provides a quick look at various outdoor business ideas. It helps you see important details about each idea, like what the business does and who it serves. Whether it’s hands-on work like landscaping or fun stuff like running a summer camp, this table makes it easy to spot an outdoor business that matches your interests. It’s a handy guide for anyone eager to start working outdoors.
#
Business Idea
Description
1
Gardening and Landscaping Business
Offers services like lawn mowing, gardening, or complete landscaping makeovers.
2
Campground
Provides camping space and outdoor activities like hiking and boating. Requires significant space.
3
Golf Course
Can be profitable with investment in course design. Earns money through tee times, rentals, and events.
4
Summer Camp
Offers outdoor activities for kids, with space for various fun events.
5
Mobile Car Wash
Travels to clients to provide car wash and detailing services.
6
Tour Guide Business
Shows tourists around or provides information from a mobile kiosk, especially in popular areas.
7
Dog Walking
In-demand in many markets; requires minimal startup resources.
8
Trail Guide
Provides guided tours of local hiking trails or offers maps and resources.
9
Marina
Offers space for boat storage and launching, typically located on a body of water.
10
Ski Lessons
Offers ski instruction in winter destinations, often partnering with resorts or outdoor organizations.
11
Outdoor Equipment Rentals
Rents equipment for outdoor activities or projects, like kayaks or landscaping gear.
12
Adventure Sports Park
Provides space for outdoor sports like rock climbing or zip lining.
13
Landscape Photographer
Takes photos of scenery or clients outdoors; sells images online.
14
Landscape Designer
Helps design outdoor spaces for homes or businesses.
15
Ice Cream Stand
Serves customers from a cart or small stand, a classic small-town business.
16
Farmers Market Vendor
Sells home-grown food or homemade goods at outdoor markets.
17
Boat Rentals
Rents boats to licensed individuals or offers chartered trips with a crew.
18
Dog Training Service
Provides outdoor dog training for tricks and obedience.
19
Outdoor Events Venue
Hosts events like weddings or festivals in an outdoor setting.
20
Animal Rental Service
Rents animals for various events or occasions.
21
Tree Service
Offers planting, care, and removal of trees for landowners.
22
Plant Nursery
Sells plants and gardening supplies, possibly grown on-site.
23
Produce Farm
Grows and sells produce, especially organic, directly to consumers or wholesalers.
24
Horse Stable
Provides space for horse riding and learning.
25
Livestock Farm
Raises animals for various products like meat or dairy.
26
Junk Cleanup Service
Offers hauling and removal services for different clients.
27
Power Washing Service
Cleans exterior surfaces and hard-to-reach outdoor areas.
28
Bicycle Repair Service
Fixes bikes either from a shop or via a mobile service.
29
Pool Cleaning Service
Cleans pools, often with many repeat customers in the summer.
30
Roofing Company
Provides roofing services, mostly working outdoors.
31
House Painting Service
Paints houses, focusing on exterior work to spend more time outside.
32
Window Washing Service
Cleans windows for homes and businesses, both inside and out.
33
Fence Company
Installs fences, requiring equipment and basic construction knowledge.
34
Outdoor Fitness Classes
Conducts various fitness classes like yoga or CrossFit outdoors.
35
Hunting Guide
Leads hunting trips in rural areas, often renting space for the activity.
36
Christmas Tree Farm
Grows evergreen trees and sells them during the winter season.
37
Flea Market
Organizes or participates in selling goods at outdoor markets.
38
Snow Clearing Service
Clears snow for homes and businesses during winter.
39
Pet Cleanup Business
Charges for regular yard cleanup for pet owners.
40
Fishing Guide
Takes fishermen on guided boat trips.
41
Winery
Grows grapes and offers wine tastings and tours.
42
Woodworking
Creates wood products in a backyard shop.
43
Adventure Club
Organizes various outdoor excursions like biking tours.
44
Courier Service
Delivers packages around town, often by foot or bike.
45
Pest Control Service
Provides pest control for indoor and outdoor spaces.
46
Mobile Advertising
Displays ads on a vehicle or other mobile surfaces.
47
Sports Coaching
Offers private coaching in various sports.
48
Driving School
Teaches driving, traveling around town with students.
49
Towing Service
Provides roadside assistance and towing.
50
Coffee Cart
Serves coffee on the go from a mobile cart, traveling to busy areas.
What outdoor businesses are in high demand?
The outdoor business landscape continues to evolve with emerging trends and shifting consumer demands. Meanwhile, certain outdoor businesses have proven to be in high demand in this dynamic environment due to their essential nature and growing popularity.
Among these, landscaping and home service businesses remain steady contenders – as they cater to recurring needs and maintenance requirements. This evolution also gives rise to innovative outdoor business ideas that align with the growing emphasis on wellness and sustainable living.
Here are some outdoor businesses that are currently in high demand and are expected to thrive in the coming year:
Landscaping Services: Providing landscaping solutions, lawn care, and garden design services to enhance outdoor spaces.
Roofing Services: Meeting the demand for roofing repairs and replacements to ensure homes’ structural integrity.
Outdoor Workout Classes: Capitalizing on the rising interest in outdoor fitness activities and offering group workout sessions in natural settings.
Organic Farming Businesses: Catering to the increasing demand for organic produce and sustainable farming practices.
Outdoor Adventure Tours: Offering guided outdoor excursions, such as hiking, biking, and wildlife tours, to nature enthusiasts.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning Services: Providing environmentally conscious cleaning solutions for outdoor spaces, such as patios and decks.
Garden Center and Nursery: Supplying a diverse range of plants, flowers, and gardening essentials to gardening enthusiasts.
Outdoor Event Planning: Organizing and coordinating outdoor events like weddings, parties, and corporate gatherings in scenic locations.
Pet Exercise Services: Meeting the demand for pet owners seeking professional dog walking and exercise services in outdoor settings.
Mobile Car Wash: Offering convenient and eco-friendly car wash services directly to customers’ locations, reducing water waste.
These outdoor businesses not only cater to existing needs but also align with the current trends of wellness, eco-consciousness, and a desire to connect with nature. By tapping into these high-demand areas and delivering exceptional services, entrepreneurs can position themselves for success in the ever-evolving outdoor business landscape of 2023.
What business can you start in your backyard?
You can start a small garden or workshop business from your backyard. For example, you may grow herbs and vegetables to sell at a local farmer’s market. Or start a wood shop where you create furniture and decor to sell.
What is the easiest small business to start outdoors?
Starting a service-based small business outdoors is often the easiest and most accessible option for aspiring entrepreneurs. These ventures require minimal equipment and can quickly turn a profit. For instance, offering dog walking services to pet owners in your neighborhood is a simple and straightforward way to start. You only need a leash and a love for animals to get going. Additionally, busy pet owners are often willing to pay for this convenience.
Similarly, providing pet cleanup services is another easy outdoor business idea that demands little investment. With just basic cleaning supplies, you can offer to tidy up yards for pet owners, catering to their busy schedules.
By focusing on outdoor service-oriented businesses, entrepreneurs can launch their ventures with minimal resources while enjoying the flexibility and freedom of working in the great outdoors.
Outdoor Service-Based Business Ideas
Description
Dog Walking Services
Offer dog walking services to pet owners in the neighborhood. Requires a leash and a love for animals. Busy pet owners often seek this convenient service.
Pet Cleanup Services
Provide yard cleanup for pet owners using basic cleaning supplies. Cater to the needs of busy pet lovers who value a tidy outdoor space.
What outdoor business can you start with little money?
There are several outdoor small businesses that require little to no upfront investment, including dog walking, hiking guides, and mobile car washing.
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If you need to host meetings with remote team members or with clients or partners outside your organization, having a reliable online meeting software suitable for small business is essential in today’s digital-first business environment. The transition to remote work and the increasing trend of global collaborations have made these tools more critical than ever.
There are a variety of options available, catering to different business needs and sizes. From VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) providers offering audio conferencing capabilities to comprehensive video conferencing solutions that support high-quality video, screen sharing, and interactive features, the range is extensive.
When selecting an online meeting platform, it’s important to consider several factors. First, the size and nature of your meetings: Do you require a platform that can handle large groups seamlessly or are smaller, more collaborative sessions your focus?
Next, consider the technical robustness: Is the software reliable and does it offer good audio and video quality even with varying internet speeds?
User-friendliness is also key, as the platform should be easy for all participants to use, regardless of their technical expertise.
Additional features such as screen sharing, recording options, and integration capabilities with other business tools can greatly enhance your meeting experience.
With a variety of options in the market, from well-known players like Zoom and Skype for Business to specialized platforms like Adobe Connect and GoToMeeting, there’s a solution to fit virtually every requirement and budget.
Key Considerations for Choosing Online Meeting Software for Your Small Business
When deciding on the best online meeting software for your small business, it’s important to consider various factors. Here’s a list of key considerations to guide your decision-making process.
Compatibility with Existing Tools: Ensure the software integrates seamlessly with your current CRM, email, or other collaboration tools.
Ease of Use: Consider the user-friendliness for both hosts and participants, especially for quick or impromptu meetings.
Video and Audio Quality: High-quality video and clear audio are crucial for effective communication.
Screen Sharing and Collaboration Features: Look for functionalities that enhance collaboration, such as screen sharing and interactive tools.
Security: Prioritize software with robust security measures to protect your business communications.
Cost-Effectiveness: Assess the pricing structure against your budget and the software’s value to your business needs.
Customer Support: Reliable customer support is essential for addressing any technical issues promptly.
Scalability: Choose software that can grow with your business and accommodate increasing participants or features as needed.
Our Methodology: How We Chose the Best Online Meeting Software for Small Businesses
For small businesses, choosing the right online meeting software is a balance between functionality, cost, and ease of use. Our methodology for this selection employs a scale from 1 to 10, focusing on the aspects most crucial to small businesses.
Higher scores indicate features of greater importance, such as affordability, simplicity, and reliability. This approach ensures that the software excelling in essential areas for small businesses, like user-friendly design and integration capabilities, are given due emphasis in our assessment.
Cost-Effectiveness (10/10)
Affordable pricing models, including free tiers or low-cost plans, are essential for small businesses, making this the highest priority.
Ease of Use (9/10)
Software that is intuitive and easy to navigate reduces the learning curve and is highly valued for ensuring efficient use.
Video and Audio Quality (9/10)
Clear, high-quality video and audio are crucial for effective communication, especially in a professional setting.
Reliability and Performance (8/10)
Consistent, dependable performance with minimal downtime or technical issues is key for maintaining business operations.
Integration with Other Tools (8/10)
The ability to integrate with other business software, such as email, calendar, and project management tools, adds significant value.
Security and Privacy Features (7/10)
Strong security measures to protect business communication and sensitive information are crucial for small businesses.
Scalability (7/10)
Software that can scale with the business, accommodating more users or advanced features as needed, is important.
Collaboration Features (6/10)
Tools that facilitate collaboration, like screen sharing, file sharing, and interactive whiteboards, enhance meeting productivity.
Mobile Accessibility (6/10)
Mobile app availability and functionality for conducting meetings on-the-go are important for flexibility.
Customer Support and Resources (6/10)
Accessible customer support and comprehensive resources for troubleshooting and guidance are beneficial for small businesses.
Customization Options (5/10)
The ability to customize settings, such as branding and meeting controls, though less critical, is a useful feature for some businesses.
This methodology guides small businesses to choose online meeting software that aligns with their specific needs and constraints, prioritizing cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and quality of communication.
By focusing on these key aspects, we aim to identify software solutions that are both functional and accessible for small businesses, facilitating seamless online meetings and collaborations.
Best Online Meeting Software
If you’re looking for a new way to host online meetings for your small business, check out these 14 options.
Zoho Meeting
Zoho’s meetings tool can be used for both online meetings and larger presentations. You can schedule meetings in advance or start them immediately. You also get access to audio, video and screen sharing features, as well as recording if necessary.
Nextiva
Nextiva is a VoIP solution for businesses that gives you plenty of customizable online meeting options. The voice calling feature can be used for meetings with remote team members or even calls with clients or partners outside your organization. It’s a perfect solution if you also need other communication services, since you can bundle them and get them from one provider.
GoToMeeting
GoToMeeting offers video conferencing and collaboration features designed for small teams. You can quickly launch meetings from your email, CRM or other collaboration tools. And the company also offers messaging functionality so you can stay in touch between video meetings.
Skype for Business
Skype for Business is a communication tool with several options, from video and voice chat to instant messaging. For a complete meeting solution, you can also record meetings and access all of your Microsoft apps within the meeting.
Zoom
Zoom offers video conferencing that also includes real-time messaging and content sharing features. Your team members or clients can join meetings from any device, so it’s perfect for businesses with flexible needs. It also includes recording and scheduling functionality.
RingCentral
RingCentral is a video conferencing solution that also offers phone and team messaging options, so it’s perfect for businesses that need multiple communication tools in one. It’s known for easy setup and for integrating with many of the third party apps that you already use.
Join.me
Join.me gives you a free platform for hosting meetings online. You can set up a custom user URL and then invite people to join your meeting as needed. It’s perfect for businesses that need a flexible solution or small teams that may need to set up last minute meetings fairly regularly.
Amazon Chime
Amazon Chime is Amazon’s solution for video conferencing. It offers an on-demand payment structure, so it could help businesses that only need to host occasional online meetings. It also comes with the security of AWS behind it.
Cisco Webex
Cisco’s meeting solution offers video conferencing right from the Webex desktop app. It also comes with advanced features like screen sharing, calling and continuous teamwork.
Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect allows you to create virtual rooms that you can customize to the specific needs of your meeting. You can incorporate your branding and other elements, which may be beneficial if you regularly host meetings with potential clients.
Blue Jeans
Blue Jeans offers video, audio and web conferencing with collaboration tools like screen sharing and integration with other collaboration tools. You can join meetings from any device, so it offers flexibility for remote teams or client meetings.
Fuze
Fuze offers a variety of communication tools, including calling, meeting, chatting and content sharing. You can tailor your meeting solution to the exact needs of your team, whether you need voice, video, chat or screen sharing.
FreeConferenceCall.com
FreeConferenceCall.com offers free solutions for video conferencing, voice calling and other forms of collaboration. There is limited storage available, but the solution is fairly customizable for small businesses.
Vonage
A cloud-based phone solution, Vonage allows you to host meetings using VoIP technology. You can also use it with collaborative tools like Microsoft Office and G Suite to host productive meetings.
Comparing Online Meeting Software for Small Businesses
Choosing the right online meeting software is crucial for small businesses. This comparison table breaks down key aspects of various platforms, helping you select a solution that best fits your business’s remote communication needs.
Apple’s App Store Editorial team has just announced the finalists for the 2023 App Store Awards, featuring nearly 40 exceptional app and game developers. These finalists, spread across 10 different categories, have been recognized for their excellence, inventiveness, and technical achievements.
Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow, praised the finalists, saying, “We are excited about the achievements of these App Store Award finalists who are helping users around the world to explore their interests in drawing, design, video editing, education, music, time management, working out, hiking, playing games, and so much more.”
Highlighting the Finalists
iPhone App of the Year Finalists:
AllTrails: For guiding outdoor enthusiasts.
Duolingo: For making language learning accessible.
Flighty: For streamlining travel experiences.
iPhone Game of the Year Finalists:
Afterplace: For its engaging retro RPG experience.
Honkai: Star Rail: For its immersive space fantasy adventure.
Vampire Survivors: For innovating the roguelike action genre.
iPad App of the Year Finalists:
Concepts: For its advanced drawing tools.
DaVinci Resolve: For revolutionizing mobile video editing.
Prêt-à-Makeup: For its creative approach to beauty.
iPad Game of the Year Finalists:
Eggy Party: For its whimsical gaming experience.
Lost in Play: For captivating all ages with its charm.
Pocket City 2: For letting players’ imaginations run wild.
Mac App of the Year Finalists:
Linearity Curve: For its innovative design tools.
Photomator: For simplifying photo editing.
Portal: For immersive audiovisual experiences.
Mac Game of the Year Finalists:
ELEX II: For its dynamic Science Fantasy world.
Lies of P: For a unique twist on a classic tale.
Return to Monkey Island: For continuing a legendary adventure.
Apple Watch App of the Year Finalists:
Planny: For smart task management.
SmartGym: For personalized fitness routines.
Tide Guide: For essential marine information.
Apple TV App of the Year Finalists:
Bugsnax: For its mysterious and charming gameplay.
FitOn: For bringing diverse workouts home.
MUBI: For delivering quality cinema experiences.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Finalists:
Cityscapes: For its sustainable gameplay approach.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure: For adorable, adventurous gaming.
stitch.: For its unique take on embroidery art.
Cultural Impact Finalists:
Apps like Balance, Copilot, and Endling, among others, have been recognized for their contributions to cultural diversity and global connection.
The App Store Awards have become a prestigious recognition in the app and gaming industry, celebrating the most innovative and influential developers each year. The winners, selected from this impressive list of finalists, will be announced in the coming weeks, spotlighting the best in creativity and technology in the App Store.
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Looking for the best eCommerce platforms? Besides having a brick-and-mortar shop, going online to offer your products and services comes with lots of opportunities for your business. An eCommerce platform is a software application that helps businesses sell products and services online. Ecommerce platforms also help businesses manage their websites, marketing, sales, and other various operations.
The first obvious perk is the ability of your business to reach a larger customer base and access markets outside your proximity. Besides boosting your reach, you will also lower costs without having to open more physical stores or have greater staffing needs.
An ecommerce store will let customers locate your products quicker, compete with the competition on price and unique selling points, boost branding and information about your company, provide your customers with promotions such as coupons and bargains, allow you to better engage with your customers with increased interactions on your site and via social media, and of course sell 24/7!
If you are looking towards expanding your online presence, you will need to choose an eCommerce platform. Simply put, eCommerce platforms are website builders that help to create your online store from the bottom up covering complex functions as well as handle both the front and back end of your site’s operations. These platforms help you build your online enterprise whether it be B2B businesses, B2C businesses, web marketing, or even designing your own customized site that is a mix of these.
Top 12 Ecommerce Software Options for Small Business
When choosing eCommerce software for your online store, you’ll be looking at a variety of features. You may look for eCommerce platforms with drag and drop tools, and those with a payment gateway that allow credit card payments.
You also want something with a free trial period so you can determine whether your new eCommerce store is right for you. Here are 12 of the best eCommerce options around to help you decide which is the right eCommerce platform for you.
1. Shopify
Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms available to help you create your own online store. It has a drag and drop interface to easily set up your online store and it comes with a variety of themes that you can customize to suit your needs.
Shopify is user-friendly and easy to use since it lets users create their online store without requiring any coding or design skills. This platform provides access to both HTML and CSS which are used to create content on the page and it has its own servers. This means users don’t have to buy web hosting or install software anywhere.
Adding a product comes easy with Shopify. The onboarding wizard helps you walk through the process of adding your products, tweaking the look of your store, connecting your own domain, and setting up your payment options. If you are selling online, on social media, or in-store, Shopify lets you start selling with a $29 monthly subscription. A free 14-day trial is also available with no credit card required.
This eCommerce platform helps cover everything from marketing and payments, to secure checkout and shipping for your store. Its interface lets you set up and manage a variety of sales channels, undertake email marketing either through built-in tools or third-party apps, and everything else you need in terms of integration with Facebook, Amazon, Instagram, and more.
2. Wix
Wix is a popular eCommerce builder that helps you create, design, and manage your eCommerce website and online store. It comes with a drag-and-drop builder that lets you add and remove features to suit your online business.
In addition, Wix comes with a good selection of both paid and free templates to customize that are also optimized for mobile display. In fact, Wix offers over 500 free mobile-optimized eCommerce themes.
It comes with free business tools that include Wix’s logo maker and a business name generator. When signing up on Wix, you fill out a questionnaire allowing Wix to use the input to automatically set things up for you. Toward the end of your onboarding process, you get the option to choose from the gallery of templates and make your own site, or answer a few more questions and let Wix’s Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) do it for you.
Wix is packed with all the bells and whistles you need to build, run and scale up your eCommerce business. It helps you run your entire storefront and eCommerce website from one place and through the Wix owner app you can keep track of your business while on the move. You can also monitor and set up real-time push notifications.
Wix’s features include abandoned cart recovery, multi-channel integration, ‘buy now’ and ‘add to cart’ buttons, printable shipping labels, store card details, dropshipping integrations with ShipStation and more. With Wix, users can tag their pages for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and sync with Google calendar to send confirmation emails and reminders with bookings.
Plans for Wix start at $17 a month with features that include secure online payments, a free domain name, customer accounts, custom domain, free domain for a year, 20GB oc storage and videos of up to five hours.
3. Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop’s eCommerce software makes it easy to build your store’s website and grow your business. This eCommerce website builder offers you a choice of professionally designed, industry-specific templates all of which are not only mobile-friendly but are also SEO optimized and customizable. Its intuitive web design tool lets you customize your site by editing the HTML and CSS directly. You also have access to features like product and order management, SEO tools, email and social media marketing, and more.
This eCommerce solution has a generous free plan that offers all the features and no limits on products, storage, and bandwidth for those who agree to use Shift4Shop’s in-house payment processing option.
This includes a complete suite of tools for marketing, inventory management, SEO, and customer support. This comes with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven fraud protection feature. However, Shift4Shop charges a transaction fee of 2.9% and a 30 cent per transaction fee for using the free plan. Paid plans start at $29 a month and integrate with Square, PayPal, Klarna, Stripe, MailChimp, AWeber, Google, Facebook, Houzz, and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
4. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free open-source eCommerce platform built for WordPress. It offers users extensive customization options from the look of your online store to tailoring your customers’ experiences, the checkout process, and more. By adding the WooCommerce plugin to any WordPress site, you can set up a new web store to sell online with secure payments, configurable shipping options, and more, all out of the box for free.
WooCommerce comes with an intuitive plugin that helps configure your store’s page with store contact information, product content, payment details, shipping information, extras like automated taxes and more. Its marketplace has hundreds of free and paid extensions that add features and functionality to your online business efforts.
They include promotions, coupon codes, inventory management, buyer reviews, and product. WooCommerce is scalable and can integrate with virtually any service making it one of the few eCommerce platforms that allows people to start for free and grow their store as their business grows.
With WooCommerce, you get a content management system, the ability to customize your design, a plethora of extensions and WordPress plugins, a choice of products and checkout pages, product ratings and reviews to boost your SEO, and next-level product sorting and filtering.
You also get customizable checkout areas with guest checkout that includes automated emails, tax options, free shipping, and built-in payment processing to name a few. Payment wise, it comes bundled with PayPal; ability to accept major credit cards; and it integrates with Facebook, Sage, Zapier, MailChimp, ShipStation, Square, Stripe, Fulfilment by Amazon, and more.
5. BigCommerce
BigCommerce offers an extensive set of e-commerce tools to help boost your eCommerce efforts. This open SaaS platform makes it easy for users to edit their store’s website with a drag-and-drop solution with no coding required.
You also get a choice of customizable themes to design and customize your storefront theme with built-in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. This will allow you to create sections such as coupons and discounts, boost merchandising, enable digital wallets; and build SEO-friendly URLS along with other features.
In terms of email marketing and customer service, when a customer enters their email and then abandons their products in the shopping cart at checkout with BigCommerce, you can send an automated email to draw them back to their purchase.
You can also connect with your customers by integrating with other marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Google Shopping. You can scale up your store by managing the entire product catalog within the BigCommerce control panel. Similarly, you can push from an external system through BigCommerce’s Catalog Application Programming Interface (API).
BigCommerce’s paid plans come with a monthly subscription of $29.95 per month and a free trial is also available. With it, you not only can build your storefront but use the dashboard to help you plan through its inventory management tools. You can design personalized shopping experiences with customer groups. You can also choose from leading shipping and payment providers that include PayPal, Stripe, Square, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay and Adyen.
6. Magento
The Magento eCommerce platform offers out-of-the-box features, the ability to customize your site’s layout and blocks, and seamless third-party integrations. This solution offers personalized content thanks to its easy drag and drop page builder that helps you to also incorporate product recommendations, customer segmentation and personalization, content staging and preview, an instant purchase option, merchandising and other features.
Magento is a free to download eCommerce software thanks to its open-source design and is scalable, which is great for growing companies with multiple stores. However, to incorporate some advanced eCommerce features, you will need to have some developer experience. It comes with a good selection of themes and template designs.
When it comes to selling, Magento allows customers to buy online or pick up in store, help ship inventory to the right store at the right time, and give your customers the buying options they want. It also helps fulfill those orders through a PC, Point of Sale (PoS), or tablet.
Magento Commerce offers its cloud-based services with the benefit of instant access to updates and improvements as they roll out. Use out-of-the-box tools, integration environments, and optimized performance for the front and back ends to ensure your store is running at 100% at all times. There is a paid tier available for enterprise users where pricing is set based on annual Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and Average Order Value (AOV).
7. Zoho Commerce
Zoho Commerce is an eCommerce platform that helps you build your own online store. You can pick a template, use drag and drop layouts, buy a domain, and launch your brand.
It also comes with all the tools you need to run a full-fledged eCommerce effort including CRM, email marketing, marketplace integration, mobile commerce and even a product configurator.
This gives you an impressive selection of capabilities that include product search, basic coupons, shipping integration, cash on delivery, newsletter subscription, SSL certificate, auto-publish social posts, customer reports, sales reports and others.
The Zoho Commerce multi-purpose dashboard lets you engage with customers, convert website visitors, encourage repeat purchases, and recover lost sales all in one place. Thanks to its real-time analytics and metrics, users can make informed decisions to tweak their offerings. This is in addition to all the regular tools you might need to run a full-fledged eCommerce business. You get access to tools that include accepting orders, tracking inventory, processing payments, shipping, marketing your brand, and analyzing your data.
Zoho Commerce also provides real-time reports and detailed analytics based on your online store’s performance. The starter plan comes at a monthly subscription of $25 a month along with a transaction fee of 1.5%.
Fees are waived if transactions remain under $1,000 a month. Zoho Commerce offers integration with all the relevant sales, marketing, and finance apps within the Zoho suite. These include eZoho Inventory, Zoho SalesIQ, MailChimp, Avalara, Zoho CRM, PayPal, Razorpay, Stripe, Authorize.Net, and others.
8. Big Cartel
Big Cartel is an eCommerce website builder that’s specifically designed for small businesses. This includes creators who sell t-shirts, art, clothing, merchandise, prints, jewelry, and other products.
The platform lets you build an online store and comes with a user-friendly onboarding process with prompts and reminders to help you easily set up your store’s online presence. It comes with several pre-made themes while also allowing you to do your own coding to create your custom design by tweaking the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript directly. With Big Cartel, you can manage your store, fulfill orders, update products, check stats, and run promotions from any device at home.
The company offers a lightweight free version of Big Cartel for five products with no credit card information needed. Through the free plan, you get one image per product, free customizable themes, an option to sell online and in-person, real-time stats, a custom domain, the ability to offer discounts and run promotions, shipment tracking, and sales tax autopilot to name some of the options.
The robust paid version starts with a monthly subscription of $9.99 for up to 50 products. This paid plan offers additional capabilities that include theme code editing, Google analytics, inventory tracking, the ability to offer discounts and run promos, and bulk editing.
9. OpenCart
OpenCart is an open-source, downloadable eCommerce solution that’s free to own, upgrade, and use with no monthly fees required. Because OpenCart is based on PHP, users will need to have a background in that programming language. Support and updates are also available compliments of its free community or dedicated commercial support. Its dashboard helps offer all the important information available at a glance including the look and features of your web store.
The platform includes total orders, sales, customers, people online, sales analytics, and other widgets. OpenCart offers users the ability to manage multiple stores from one admin interface where you can list products, choose a different theme for each store, localize store settings, and even set product prices per store.
When it comes to product features such as size and color features, OpenCart offers a solution for adding extra product variables.
This free option comes with a selection of over 13,000 modules and themes to expand your online store’s functionality. These include all the tools you need for service integrations, payment providers, shipping methods, social media, marketing, accounting, reporting, sales as well as language packs.
Additional perks include built-in SEO and the ability to manage products, customers, orders, taxes rules, coupon codes and more. It also integrates with multiple payment gateways that include PayPal, Amazon Payments, eBay, and others. To encourage sales and make conversions, OpenCart allows users the ability to offer discounts, coupons, and specials to help improve their bottom line.
10. WordPress
WordPress has an open-source eCommerce platform that offers users a full range of eCommerce options to build and run their online stores. These include building your landing pages from the ground up, hosting your site, buying a CRM system, designing payment systems, and handling subscriptions and useful plug-ins to create a fully customizable online store. WordPress comes with an easy-to-use site builder. This allows users to easily build elements of their site.
Considered by some the best eCommerce platform, this popular tool allows you to build your site while it also offering a good selection of extensions, themes, and plugins both free and paid that might suit your particular needs.
What makes WordPress stand out is that its interface is easy to navigate. Solid features along with a clean, minimalist look also make it a standout. You need no coding expertise to design and build your website. Because it is specifically designed for publishing, WordPress makes it easier to post content and is even mobile responsive. When it comes to analytics and metrics, you can incorporate Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and other tools to monitor your site’s visitors and their behavior.
The WordPress small business package starts at a monthly subscription of $25 billed annually. With it, you get hosting; payment collection; unlimited email support; live chat support; access to premium themes; upload videos; Google analytics integration; advanced SEO tools and more. With this plan, you can also install plugins and extend functionality for your site with access to more than 50,000 WordPress plugins- everything you need for a commerce solution.
11. Ecwid
Ecwid eCommerce software helps you launch an online store by letting you create a website and helping you add images, checkout pages, social media integrations, and more with no coding knowledge required.
Control everything from a single dashboard with centralized inventory, order management, and pricing. Ecwid offers a forever plan for free where you can start selling your 10 physical products a month.
You can access more than 70 design themes and advertise on Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Snapchat. You also get a mobile responsive shopping cart as well as other features. When you sign up for free, Ecwid gives you the option to integrate your store with your existing website and integrates with most web builders including WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Joomla, Blogger, Tumblr, and others.
For those interested, an affordable upgrade plan is available at $15 a month with extra features. There are also no additional transaction fees on top of what your payment gateway charges, so it isn’t skimming any profit with hidden fees. In terms of payment, you can connect a Point of Sale system to an Ecwid store to accept payments from anywhere. This is in addition to selling on other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, WordPress eCommerce, ShopApp, Amazon, and more.
12. Volusion
Volusion’s eCommerce platform is a comprehensive site builder which lets users create their unique online store without any coding required. You can customize your unique page layout through its drag and drop feature to build content blocks for social media, image galleries, videos, testimonials and more. You can edit your page with ease through its rich content editor and even add search functionality to help customers find what they need easily.
With this eCommerce platform, you get some handy eCommerce features that afford you all the tools you need for managing inventory, collect payments, and sell unlimited product options.
Volusion’s web app offers features that businesses need in regards to out-of-the-box solutions to push your products online.
Volusion even lets you manage your online store from your phone through its mobile app. There you can check on your inventory, update prices, or take pictures of your product from your phone. You can market to more customers and grow your sales thanks to its built-in SEO management, newsletters and CRM system. You can also manage your social media accounts and sell more across the web, all from the comfort of your Volusion dashboard.
Paid plans for Volusion start at a monthly subscription of $29 but a 14 day trial is available where you try a theme on your new site, customize it and see your store come to life. Volusion supports a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe and offers digital wallet options through Amazon and Apple Pay.
Best E-commerce Platforms and Software
Software
Key Features
Starting Price
Special Mention
Shopify
Drag and drop interface, customizable themes, extensive integration options.
$29/month
14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Wix
Drag-and-drop builder, over 500 mobile-optimized themes, Wix ADI for easy setup.
$17/month
Free business tools including logo maker.
Shift4Shop
Professionally designed templates, SEO optimized, free plan available with in-house payment processing.
Free plan available; paid plans start at $29/month
AI-driven fraud protection feature.
WooCommerce
Free open-source platform, extensive customization, scalable, integrates with WordPress.
Free
Requires WordPress; extensive plugin marketplace.
BigCommerce
Drag-and-drop solution, customizable themes, integrates with major marketplaces.
$29.95/month
Free trial available.
Magento
Customizable layout, third-party integrations, cloud-based services for enterprise users.
Drag and drop layouts, integrated CRM and marketing tools, mobile commerce.
$25/month
Real-time analytics and reports.
Big Cartel
Designed for small creators, customizable themes, free version for up to 5 products.
Free for 5 products; paid plans start at $9.99/month
Ideal for artists and indie stores.
OpenCart
Open-source, customizable, multi-store management, SEO built-in.
Free
PHP knowledge needed; extensive modules and themes.
WordPress
Full range of eCommerce options, customizable plugins and themes, good for content management.
$25/month (billed annually)
Extensive plugin ecosystem; suitable for content-heavy sites.
Ecwid
Easy store integration with existing websites, mobile responsive, over 70 design themes.
Free for up to 10 products; paid plans start at $15/month
Integrates with most web builders.
Volusion
Drag and drop site builder, mobile app for management, SEO and CRM tools.
$29/month
14-day free trial; comprehensive site builder.
Why does your business need an eCommerce store?
The advantage of an eCommerce store is that it allows you to conduct your business in a flexible manner from the comfort of your PC or mobile device while reaching a full range of customers regardless of your store’s location.
Thanks to the equalizing power of the internet, small businesses today can market their products online, generate more sales and compete in the global marketplace. By starting an online business checklist, you can identify the pros and cons of having an eCommerce store. But here are some of the other benefits that come with having your own eCommerce store:
Interact and Market Directly to Your Customers: Having your own eCommerce store provides you with a platform to market directly to your website’s visitors and customers without getting lost in the forest of competition. This means you can tweak your offerings, sell directly to customers without intermediaries and get valuable insights into your customers’ buying behavior. You can engage with them directly by sending them marketing promotions, announcing new products and offering discounts, wish lists and loyalty programs. Your eCommerce store will also help you to increase your conversion rate. If customers and prospects are confident about your goods and services, they can immediately buy your product from your online store rather than visit your offline shop.
Boost your Brand: Your eCommerce store will not put any limitations on how you decide to leverage your brand and engage with your visitors and customers. You have full control over the messaging, its frequency, its look, and other facets that are important for you to build brand awareness and recognition. When coupled with your social media and other outreach, it will help make your brand prominent. This not only makes people more aware of your company and its products, but it might also interest them enough to make a purchase. By boosting your digital marketing, you can increase the ranking and awareness of your brand in search engines which will help your target customers easily find you online.
Provide Convenience for Customers: Another reason you may want an eCommerce store is the relative ease online shopping offers your customers. More and more customers today are doing their research on products online. Through online stores, customers can check important information in regards to pricing, store hours, product features, the availability of the product, and other valuable information. If your store can provide easy purchasing options online then you are drastically reducing the amount of time and effort customers expend to research a product, evaluate it compared to the competition, and ultimately make the purchase — all in the same place.
Make More Money: Studies indicate that more and more people are shopping online. This trend has been increasing year-over-year. In fact, most digital purchases are being made on mobile devices replacing desktops. So it is a no-brainer that businesses will need to get on the bandwagon if they want to tap into this opportunity. Increasing the revenue of your business should always be a top priority. As it not only reflects positively on your bottom line but also affords you more chances to make sales. Remember your eCommerce business is open day and night around the clock. You are always open regardless of holidays or harsh weather as the website can be automated to do all sorts of things. Having a store online lets you run your business round the clock and make sit accessible to potentially millions of customers worldwide. By creating an online store, you get to capitalize on opening up a whole new opportunity to generate revenue.
Addition business model: With eCommerce, you can dabble in eCommerce business ideas such as drop shipping which is a business model in which you as a retailer do not keep goods in stock. Instead, you transfer the customer’s orders and shipment details to either the manufacturer or a third party who ships to the customer. This allows you as a seller to not worry about keeping items in stock, the stress of packing and dispatching.
What types of ecommerce platforms can I choose from?
Ecommerce platforms support your online business by covering everything you need. This includes everything from hosting to your custom domain, tools, and customer support. They offer tools for eCommerce stores that help manage every aspect of controlling and monitoring sales and marketing.
They also help manage shipping, inventory management, customer service, analytics and more. The key is to choose the right eCommerce platform to suit the specific needs of your business.
The technical build of your eCommerce platform will determine what customized services and features you can provide your customers. Broadly speaking, there are three types of eCommerce platforms: PaaS (Platform as a Service), SaaS (Software as a Service), and open source.
Software as a Service (SaaS): These are mostly considered to be ideal for smaller businesses since they are essentially 0ut-of-the-box solutions built to handle basic needs of a web store such as hosting, providing secure payment gateways, catalog management, content management, and creation. And they make this possible without requiring a tech team or knowledge of coding to build or support it. They are designed for easy adoption by merchants and users who set up their store site in a relatively short amount of time with few hassles. However, the main drawback of SaaS eCommerce platforms is that users might be limited when it comes to customization. Though there is some leeway in terms of customizing user interface functionality, administrative layout and unique integration, all are limited by the parameters set by the SaaS platform. With SaaS, users do not need to install and run software applications on any computer as everything is available over the internet when they login to their account. SaaS eCommerce platforms work under a subscription model with either monthly or annual fees. Examples: Shopify and BigCommerce.
Open Source: Open source eCommerce platforms often come separate from the web hosting service. They do give users complete control of the platform but there is a hitch. Users are required to completely manage their site including development and design; maintaining the website, monitoring the server; and dedicating a team to run and manage the day-to-day operations of the website. Though they come at a relatively low price, unless you have a dedicated IT team or have knowledge of coding, they can be challenging. Open source platforms are often used best by larger, enterprise companies that have the resources to properly build and run them. Examples: OpenCart, WordPress.
Platform as a Service (PaaS): PaaS eCommerce platforms can be described as a hybrid of the best features of both SaaS and open source platforms. They allow users to have full control over their website, without having to worry about hosting or infrastructure. These platforms are delivered through the web, giving developers the freedom to concentrate on building the website without having to worry about operating systems, software updates, storage, or infrastructure. Thus they bring another level of flexibility in terms of making changes to your store’s website. This means no downtime for your site as a consequence of changes or updates you might make on your site. Issues in regards to downtime, security vulnerabilities, or slow loading times are managed by the hosting service provider and taken care of quickly. Updates or security patches that are released by the platform will not negatively affect your site as there is across-the-board integration. Besides reducing the amount of coding needed, these platforms allow for scalability, usually come in cloud platforms, and are not limited by restrictions from the platforms. Example: Magento.
What are the most important features to look for in an eCommerce platform?
Before starting an online business checklist you will need to make sure that the eCommerce platform is compatible with your particular business model. One pitfall is that many eCommerce businesses fail because the specific business model is not compatible with the right eCommerce platform in question. This is why it is important to ask why eCommerce businesses fail. Below are some features you will need to look for in eCommerce platforms when you are shopping for solutions:
Versatile Payment Gateway: the main objective of your store is to generate more revenue for your business. As such, you should look for an eCommerce platform that offers your customers diverse payment options that include credit/debit cards; bank transfers; e-wallets payments; cash; mobile payments and third-party vendors like PayPal, Amazon Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay and others.
Good Security: This is another important issue to look for. As a business, you are legally responsible to protect your customers from fraud and scams. The best eCommerce platform not only should provide you with anti-fraud tools but also protect your business from security breaches, lost inventory and chargebacks. Look for a platform that supports HTPPS/SSL for a safe and secure checkout.
Affordable Pricing: As with any business tool, you should know exactly what you’ll be paying and what to expect. Almost all platforms come with a monthly fee, flat rate, or transaction charges. In some cases, you might be required to pay additional fees for hosting, updates, and possible hidden costs. It is important that you go through your due diligence by weighing the benefits and disadvantages of the eCommerce platforms and how much they are aligned with your specific needs and correspond to your budget.
Easy Setup: An ideal eCommerce platform should be easy to design, set up and tweak without the need to be a developer or have any coding knowledge. Your online shop should be up and running in a couple of hours after you sign up. It should be easy to use and offer you the opportunity to choose from customizable templates. It should give you leeway in terms of aligning your brand and business model to build a professional-looking store website.
Easy integrations: As a business, you will need to offer your customers options. Look for a platform that can easily integrate with marketing channels such as Facebook and Instagram, does not clash with your CRM system and of course can accomodate popular eCommerce plugins and extensions.
SEO-friendliness: Your eCommerce site is only good if people know that it exists and use it. The best eCommerce platform should ensure that your online store ranks high in search results and is SEO-friendly so that customers can easily reach you to purchase your goods and services. This includes making sure your product content is easily available, your store has an easy-to-remember domain name and product reviews and other relevant information regarding your online business is included.
Effective analytics. Your eCommerce site should provide you with actionable real time insights on the behaviors of visitors and customers so you can make tweaks to boost sales. Look for platforms that collect email address and other contact information and provide information on sales, payments, order amounts, abandoned carts, and more.
Responsiveness Across Devices: Your store should be available over multiple devices. Particularly it should be mobile friendly as more and more customers are interacting with eCommerce sites using their smartphones. Your site should deliver on many fronts including product and catalog management, images that stand out, tracking of recently viewed products, and effective product management that will keep your customers coming back for more.
Is your small business capitalizing on the Throwback Thursday — aka #TBT — phenomenon? If not, it’s time to join in the race to post nostalgic content to reach out to and strike a chord with followers.
What is Throwback Thursday?
Throwback Thursday, often abbreviated as #TBT, is a popular social media trend where individuals and organizations post nostalgic content from their past. Typically observed on Thursdays, this trend encourages sharing old photos, stories, and memories.
Throwback Thursday Ideas
If you’re unsure how to execute a Throwback Thursday strategy, help is here, with the following 10 best Throwback Thursday ideas small businesses are successfully using to celebrate #TBT in 2018.
Share an Event You Hosted a Long Time Ago
Okay, so if you’re a start-up this idea might not be applicable, but if your small business has been going for some time, use the #TBT trend to alert followers of your past events. If you have an image of a past event you are proud of, post the image — on a Thursday of course — with the #TBT hashtag and a brief description of the event.
Posting about past events can be an effective way to gauge interest in a forthcoming event you have by tying past and future events together.
Tweet Old Business Cards
Another popular way to celebrate Throwback Thursday is to post an image of your old business cards. For maximum effect, post the old business card alongside your current business card. This will provide some subtle but effective marketing getting your business in front of anyone searching the #TBT hashtag.
Jessica Borg, a reporter at KHOU, the CBS affiliate in Houston, does just this on Twitter.
Post Baby Photos of Yourself or Employees
No one can resist looking at baby photos of colleagues or, better still, their boss! Generate interest on your social media feeds by posting Throwback Thursday pictures of you or your colleagues as babies or kids. Garner even greater interest in the posts by asking people to guess who the youngster is.
Highlight a Key Turning Point in Your Business
Share a story or a photo from a time when your business experienced a significant turning point. It could be a major contract you landed, a crucial hire, or even a significant challenge you overcame. This kind of post not only gives a glimpse into your company’s history but also showcases your resilience and growth.
Showcase Retired Products or Services
If your business has been around for a while, chances are you’ve had products or services that are no longer available. Use Throwback Thursday to post about these retired offerings. This can stir nostalgia among long-time customers and also shows how your business has evolved over time.
Share Historical Industry Insights
Post about how your industry looked when your business started versus how it looks now. This can be an educational and engaging way to highlight industry progress and your business’s role in that evolution.
Celebrate Long-Time Employees
Put the spotlight on employees who have been with the company for many years. Share their pictures from when they first joined and now, along with a brief story about their journey in your company. This not only celebrates your team but also underscores your company’s commitment to its employees.
Here’s a throwback Thursday example on the news:
Throwback to Your First Website
Almost every business starts with a basic website that evolves over time. Share screenshots of your first website compared to your current one. This can be a fun and visually engaging way to show how much your online presence has grown and modernized.
Share Photos of Past Projects Representing Milestones
Show just how much your business has evolved and expanded over the years by posting a Throwback Thursday image of your first office or home office. It doesn’t need to be from a bygone era, as a #TBT post from several years ago can be just as effective.
The social media savvy building company Sundt Construction does just this by tweeting an image of an unused warehouse they converted into new administrative offices for Habitat for Humanities five years ago.
Highlight Initial Workspaces: Share photos of where your business started, like a small office or a home setup.
Showcase Key Projects Over the Years: Post images of significant projects that marked growth or success milestones.
Before and After Transformations: Share photos showing the transformation of workspaces or projects from their inception to completion.
Celebrate Partnership Anniversaries: Include images from when you first partnered with other businesses or clients.
Acknowledge Major Business Changes: Post about significant changes, like moving to a bigger office or expanding your team.
Share Historical Business Moments: Highlight moments in your business history that had a significant impact, like launching a breakthrough product or service.
Repost Old Ads on #TBT
Posting old ads is an incredibly easy and effective way for small businesses to celebrate Throwback Thursday and promote their brand to followers and prospects. Posting old ads that highlight how products have changed or advanced, or how much prices have changed, can be a great way to create nostalgia amongst followers.
Interject Customers into Your #ThrowbackThursday Campaign
As Hootsuite notes, your customers are what it’s all about, “so celebrate them with a throwback to the customers of yesteryear.”
Post images of your customers’ former involvement with your brand, such as using your services or products in past decades and pointing out just how far your products or services have come since then.
Recall a Fun and Relevant Fact About Your Business
No matter how long your business has been going, it has a history. Capitalize on the Throwback Thursday craze by posting a fun fact about your business, such as how many employees you started out with, or what significant thing happened in the year your business was founded.
Starbucks Coffee makes good use of Throwback Thursday by posting about the good old days — for example when it first opened its first Seattle coffee shop 43 years ago.
Post About Your First Logo
How far has your business logo come over the years? Generate intrigue and interest in your brand by posting images of your first logo alongside a #TBT hashtag. Use the post to show how more stylized and sophisticated your brand has become.
Publish Content About Your First Award
Which year did your business win its first award? Showcase your former awards and just how successful your business has been over the years by celebrating Throwback Thursday with some of these posts.
Generate maximum social media exposure on a Thursday by running a #TBT contest. Encourage followers to participate in your Throwback Thursday promotion by posting their own #TBT content and giving a freebie or prize to the followers who post the best #Throwback Thursday content.
Throwback Thursday Ideas Summary
Idea
Description
Share an Event
Post past event images for engagement and history showcase.
Tweet Old Business Cards
Compare old and new business cards to highlight brand evolution.
Post Baby Photos
Share employee baby photos for fun engagement.
Highlight a Key Turning Point
Share milestones or major changes in your business.
Showcase Retired Products
Post about discontinued products or services.
Share Historical Industry Insights
Contrast past and present industry states.
Celebrate Long-Time Employees
Spotlight long-serving employees’ journeys.
Throwback to Your First Website
Show first vs. current website for digital growth.
Share Photos of Past Projects
Post images of initial workspaces and major projects.
Repost Old Ads on #TBT
Share old ads to create nostalgia and brand awareness.
Interject Customers
Feature past customer interactions and relationships.
Recall a Fun Fact
Share interesting historical facts about your business.
Post About First Logo
Compare first and current logos to show brand development.
Publish First Award Content
Highlight the first award your business received.
Run a #TBT Contest
Encourage follower participation with a themed contest.
