The task of setting up eCommerce can be very daunting, but it doesn't have to be this way. With some careful research the information you need is available, whether you use a free service like PayPal or one of many NZ IT providers to develop full eCommerce facilities.

A quick and easy eCommerce solution is PayPal. Money can be received just like another bank account and is ideal for start-ups, as fee payments are taken as money is received. Web-based marketing

Your marketing plan should include an element of web-based marketing, whatever traditional marketing you do. First and foremost you should have a marketing plan with a clear goal and reason.

Your goal may be to sell products or services or gain more business exposure. One scenario is to create a story around your product or service. This marketing can be from resources such as Facebook and Twitter.

Here is one brief scenario using web-based marketing to create your story and drive traffic: Electronic Newsletter • Informs readers about product or services • Directs readers to Facebook and Twitter

• Direct readers directly to the web page. Facebook Page

• Informs readers and colleagues and friends about the product or services

• Captures more of an audience, builds a following • Builds a story that prospects can relate to and become involved with

• Encourages purchasing

• Directs prospect to the website. Twitter

• Keeps prospects informed, can tell your story and direct traffic

• Captures more of an audience, builds a following

• Opportunity to converse with potential prospects and hear what they want or like

• Drive prospects to the website. Website Page

• Website page is where your prospect buys into your goal.

Using web-based marketing requires forethought, as there are many applications (eg: Facebook, Twitter) that you can use. Once you set up your preferred applications, you then need the tools to manage your data (eg: for Twitter an ideal tool is HootSuite to manage all the Twitter feeds that come through and ensure you don't miss key information). More on that next month.